How to Start an Integrated Mosquito Management Program
Communicating best practices to customers is the key to success
With a greater public understanding of the severity of mosquitoes and the diseases they spread, pest control operators around the country are seeing an increased demand for mosquito control service. To best take advantage of this growing source of potential revenue, PCOs should implement a comprehensive Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) program, to offer consumers a structured, multi-faceted strategy in controlling mosquitoes.
Built on the principles of a traditional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, IMM takes advantage of all mosquito control methods available to pest control professionals for a structured, multi-faceted strategy. The components of a complete IMM program include:
- Monitoring – identifying the species of mosquito present on a given site and establishing the areas of greatest activity.
- Source Reduction – includes the management of standing water and vegetation where mosquitoes breed to help control future populations on the site.
- Larviciding – an ecologically sound preventive method used to interrupt the development of larvae into adult mosquitoes. Larvicide treatments target mosquitoes in their habitats where they reproduce. This controls the mosquitoes before they become biting, breeding adults. Altosid® larvicides from Central Life Sciences are applied directly to water sources that hold mosquito eggs and larvae and provide residual control.
- Adulticiding – the quick population reduction of adult mosquitoes that have emerged from the larval stage with the use of an EPA-registered product. When applied according to the label directions, Zenivex® adulticides can be used for mosquito control programs without posing risks to the general public or to the environment.
- Barrier treatments – for residual mosquito control beyond the adulticide application, barrier treatments should be applied to the shrubs and vegetation where mosquitoes rest. PCOs can incorporate Mavrik® Perimeter as well as natural, 25(b) options including Essentria® IC-3 and Essentria® All Purpose Insecticide Concentrate.
While a comprehensive IMM program presents PCOs with the best strategy for accomplishing control of mosquitoes, continued prevention will rely on further assistance from the customer. There are a number of steps PCOs can instruct customers to take prior to and following treatment to help control mosquito populations, including:
- Keep swimming pools cleaned and chlorinated, even when not in use.
- Walk the property after a rain, and look for areas in the landscape that are not draining well.
- Mow tall grass and maintain shrubbery on the property.
- Cover openings for standing water sources, such as catch basins and septic tanks.
- Fill natural depressions in landscaping with sand to absorb collecting water
- Dump anything that holds water twice per week if it has rained. Birdbaths, non-chlorinated wading pools, footbaths, garbage can lids, and pottery will all attract breeding mosquitoes.
As more customers seek professional help for the control of mosquitoes, PCOs should be prepared to take advantage of this potential revenue source. Knowing all of the steps of a complete IMM program and understanding the best practices for mosquito control, PCOs will be better positioned to offer an effective, efficient mosquito control service.
PMP’s Direct To You provides pest management professionals with educational refreshers on timely and critical topics essential to operational success. This content is not be used as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney licensed to practice where you live. Look for the content-rich PMP Direct To You archives at mypmp.net/direct-to-you-archive.
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