With the Zika virus now provoking global concern, the professional pest management industry is being called upon to strategically manage threatening mosquito populations and the diseases they carry and spread. Breaking the bites of mosquitoes is now a public health priority, and one of the best ways to do that is by breaking the breeding and life cycles of these formidable foes.

About the "Bite"

Only female mosquitoes “bite” because they require blood to produce eggs. Male mosquitoes subsist on nectar. Therefore, it is the female mosquitoes that carry infectious diseases such as arboviruses and parasites that can cause life-threatening illnesses. Mosquitoes, in general, don’t see as well as other diurnal insects – they cannot see their prey until they are within 30 feet of it. As a result, female mosquitoes rely on biological indicators such as sweat, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and body heat to find their meal sources. High dew points increase the range of these receptors, which is why mosquitoes thrive in moist environments.

About the Solution

Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) methods are endorsed by the CDC and the United States EPA and are designed to attack every stage of the life cycle. Insecticides should be employed for the knockdown and kill of adult mosquitoes but the key to a successful mosquito control program is to treat the problem at its source. Larvicides prevent mosquito larvae from becoming biting, breeding adults in the water where they feed and develop. The formula is simple - preventing development prevents breeding, which ultimately controls mosquito populations.

That said, larvaciding is a strategic tool used in the critical process of successful mosquito management. For state of the art, optimal larvaciding effect, Altosid® Pro-G is the choice of numerous pest management professionals.

Altosid® Pro-G is a granular formulation larvicide applied to mosquito breeding sites. It features the scientifically proven active ingredient (S)-methoprene (an Insect Growth Regulator or IGR). Altosid® Pro-G prevents adult mosquito emergence by controlling breeding sites and disrupting life cycles.

• Breaks the bites by preventing mosquito larvae from becoming breeding adults.
• Breaks the bites by providing up to 30 days of control in standing water.
• Breaks the bites through ease of granular applications.
• Breaks the bites by treating up to 5,455 square feet or 20,183 gallons of water (one 2.5-pound, ready-to-use, easy application container).
• Breaks the bites through ongoing applications throughout mosquito seasons.
• Breaks the bites because treated larvae continue to develop normally to the pupal stage and then die.

To know your pest and to know your product, go to http://www.zoecon.com/insects/mosquitoes.

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.