Susceptibility of Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say to 19 Pesticides with Different Modes of Action

Authors

Julia W. Pridgeon, USDA-ARSFollow
Roberto M. Pereira, University of Florida
James J. Becnel, USDA-ARSFollow
Sandra A. Allan, USDA-ARSFollow
Gary G. Clark, USDA-ARSFollow
Kenneth J. Linthicum, USDA-ARS

Date of this Version

2008

Citation

J. Med. Entomol. 45(1): pp. 82-87 (2008).

Comments

U.S. government work.

Abstract

To access the relative potency of pesticides to control adult mosquitoes, 19 pesticides with various modes of action were evaluated against Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say. On the basis of 24-h LD₅₀ values after topical application, the only pesticide that had higher activity than permethrin was fipronil, with LD₅₀ values lower than permethrin for 107-, 4,849-, and 2-fold against Ae. aegypti, Cx. quinquefasciatus Say, and An. quadrimaculatus Say, respectively. Abamectin, imidacloprid, spinosad, diazinon, and carbaryl showed slightly lower activity than permethrin (<20-fold). However, bifenazate showed very low activity against the three mosquito species tested, with LD₅₀ values higher than permthrin for >1000-fold. On the basis of 24-h LD₅₀ values, Cx. quinquefasciatus was the least susceptible species to nine pesticides tested (DNOC, azocyclotin, chlorfenapyr, carbaryl, spinosad, imidaclorid, diazinon, abamectin, and permethrin), whereas Ae. aegypti was the least susceptible species to six pesticides tested (dicofol, amitraz, propargite, hydramethylnon, cyhexatin, and diafenthiuron), and An. quadrimaculatus was the least susceptible species to four pesticides tested (bifenazate, pyridaben, indoxacarb, and fipronil). Our results revealed that different species of mosquitoes had different susceptibility to pesticides, showing the need to select the most efficacious compounds for the least susceptible mosquito species to achieve successful mosquito control.