Biologically based insecticides for the control of immature Australian mosquitoes: a review

Abstract  Our review outlines changes in insecticide usage for mosquito control against Australian mosquitoes, with a focus on biologically based insecticides. The most widely used microbial insecticide is Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis de Barjac ( Bti ) and it is regularly used in estuaries and freshwater. In comparison, the use of Bacillus sphaericus (Neide) is limited to freshwater. The only insect growth regulator registered for mosquito control in Australia is s -methoprene, and it is used in both estuaries and freshwater. Although biologically based insecticides have been used for more than 10 years, there remains knowledge gaps surrounding the use of specific formulations in specific habitats: for example, VectoBac WG ( Bti ) and VectoBac G ( Bti ) in containers containing freshwater, or Altosid pellets ( s -methoprene) in ground-pool freshwater habitats. Where broad-scale mosquito control programs have been implemented in Australia, a reduction in the incidence of mosquito-borne disease, mainly Ross River virus, has been recorded. Therefore, the future application of these products is supported. The use of insecticides should be integrated with public education, biological control, physical habitat modification and coupled with spatial risk assessment.