ScienceAsia 10 (1984): 073-088 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1984.10.073

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF MOSQUITQES IN THAILAND

S. WONGSIRI^a AND R.G. ANDRE^b

ABSTRACT: The development of biological control of mosquitoes in Thailand started in 1944 when mosquito fish. Gambusia affimis was introduced and released in many areas. including Bangkok. to control malaria mosquito larvae. Other examples of biological control by exotic fish which show considerable promise are Poecillia reticulata and Oreochromis niloticus (Tilapia nilotica). These fish are useful against mosquitoes breeding in temporary standing water or man-made breeding sites but are unable to survive in running water. It is, therefore, necessary to seek and import oiher natural enemies. Over 50 natural enemies in Thailand have been discovered. including twenty species of non-insect predators, fourteen species of insect predators, and seventeen species of pathogens.

     Mosquito pathogens such as Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis and Bacillus sphaericus, predaceous aquatic insects -such as Diplonychus spp., Enithares spp., Ranatra spp. and Toxorhynchites spp. and other predaceous aquatic invertebrate including Hydra and Planaria are able to destroy high numbers of mosquito larvae. Terrestrial vertebrates. for example, the small house geckos, Hemidactylus frenatus and Plaltyrus platyrus, actively destroy adult mosquito. The biology. life history. mass production, and effectiveness of these organisms are being studied to assess their value as biological control agents.

Download PDF

a. Department of Biology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10500, Thailand.
b. Department of Entomolgy. Waiter Reed Army Institute of Research, Army Medical Center, Washington D.C. 20307, U.S.A.