Do Insecticides & Pesticides no harm to human beings ?

A Community Health

How to Control Mosquito

Part 3: Larvacides, Pesticides, Insecticides

[A] Control the Mosquitoes in their early life cycle in the water

with Larvicides

All mosquitoes need water to breed,

So destroy completely the Larvae and mosquito-population-control efforts usually involve

draining, removing, closing and treating of the standing water sources.

USING :

Larvacides

Larvacide are insecticides that are specifically targeted against the larvae /

larval life stage of insects. Their most common use is against mosquitoes. Larvacides may be contact poisons, stomach poisons, growth regulators, or biological control agents. There are two kind of Larvacides:

1. Biological agents / Bacterial larvacides :
• Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), Bti. (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), and Bacillus sphaericus. both are naturally occur soil bacteria registered as larvicides, distributed on the surface of stagnant water locations. When the mosquito larvae ingest the bacteria, crystallized toxins are produced which destroy the digestion tract, resulting in death. These larvacides will last only a few weeks in water and cause no danger to humans, non-targeted animal species, or the environment when used according to directions.
• Methoprene (Altosid): is another biological agent that interrupts the growth cycle of insect larvae, preventing them from development beyond the pupa stage, usually applied to larger bodies of water in the form of time-release briquettes which can last from one to five months.

Metoprene

isopropyl (E,E)-(RS)-11-methoxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,4-dienoate.

Methoprene interferes with the normal life cycle of an insect by mimicking an insect growth hormone, it prevents the development of adult mosquitoes from larvae. It is effective against several types of mosquitoes, including the Culex species, the common household mosquito, which is most commonly associated with West Nile Virus. Methoprene is applied early in the mosquito breeding season to wet areas where mosquitoes live and lay eggs, such as storm water and drainage systems, granulated or briquette or pellet forms of methoprene are placed in these areas, where they slowly release larvicide for 30 days. A methoprene briquette could also be used which slowly releases larvicide for 90 days. Use of this larvicide does not cause an unreasonable health risks to human beings or other wildlife and it will not leach into the ground water supply. There is a small acute and chronic risk to some fish and freshwater invertebrate species.

2. Chemical agents / Organophosphate larvacides :
• Abate or Temephos is an organophosphate which prevents mosquito larvae from developing resistance to bacterial larvicides. Due to the small amount needed and the fast rate that temephos breaks down in water, this type of larvicide does not cause an unreasonable health risk to human beings, but at large doses it can cause nausea or dizziness, there is not a large risk to terrestrial species, but there is a toxic concern for non-targeted aquatic species. Therefore, temephos should be limited only to sites where less hazardous larvicides are ineffective and with intervals between applications.

Abate / Temephos

[B] Control the Mosquitoes in their adult life cycle on the Land and in the Air

with Pesticides & Insecticides

Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances used to kill pests (harmful organisms), they may be chemical substances, or biological agents.

Pesticides include algaecides, avicides, bactericides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, miticides, molluscides, nematicides, rodenticides, virucides.

Insecticides are pesticides used against insects in all developmental forms, they include ovicides used against the eggs and larvicides used against the larvae of insects. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household, all insecticides have the potential to significantly alter ecosystems; many are toxic to human beings, and others are concentrated in the food chain.

Classification of Insecticides:

1. Organochlorine compounds: DDT / Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane is one of the best known synthetic pesticides.
2. Organophosphates: Dichlorphos, Chlorpyrifos is a toxic crystalline organophosphate insecticide, Malathion, a relatively low-human toxicity insecticide.

Dichlorphos, Chlorpyrifos usually used as aerosol spray insecticides, Malathion usually used for fogging an area to kill all mosquitoes.

3. Carbamates: or urethanes, are a group of organic compounds sharing a common functional group with the general structure -NH(CO)O-. carbamates are esters of carbamic acid (NH₂COOH). Propoxur is a carbamate derivative which is used as an mosquito insecticide.
4. Pyrethroids: synthetic pyrethrins: Allethrin, permethrin, Transfluthrin etc. (See Part 4).
5. Neonicotinoids: are synthetic analogues of the natural insecticide nicotine with a much lower acute mammalian toxicity and greater field persistence, systemic insecticides with a rapid action, often as substitutes for organophosphates and carbamates.
6. Biological insecticides: Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterial disease of Lepidopterans and some other insects. it is used as a larvicide against a wide variety of caterpillars, it has little effect on other organisms, it is considered more environmentally friendly than synthetic pesticides.

Mosquito Fogging

What is a Fog ?

A fog is a suspension of small liquid droplets in gas / air characterized by its doplet size distribution,However, people tend to describe

There are many terms of fogs as dry fog (10-15 micron volume mean diameter), wet fog (20-30 micron), mist (30-60 micron), fine spray (above 60 micron), etc.

This insecticide fog is a heavy oil based formula designed for use in thermal foggers that can deliver spray particle sizes within the aerosol size range. This fogging insecticide is a synthetic pyrethroid formula and is ideal for outdoor applications as well as indoors.

Active Ingredients : synthetic pyrethroid such as Rasmethrin, organophosphate insecticide such as Malathion, Piperonyl butoxide.

Base Ingredients : Petroleum Destillates, light Paraffin, light Naphthenic, Gasoline.

Harmful if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through skin. Avoid breathing vapors or spray mist. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid direct exposure to fog.

Wash contaminated clothing prior to reuse. Do not contaminate food or feed. In food processing

This formula is combustible. Keep container sealed. Do not use, pour, spill or store near heat or open flame. IF SWALLOWED: Call a physician or Poison Control Center immediately. Gastric lavage is indicated if material is taken internally. Do not induce vomiting as this may cause aspiration pneumonia. IF INHALED: Apply artificial respiration if required. FOR SKIN: Remove contaminated clothing and wash affected areas with soap and water. FOR EYES: Flush eyes with plenty of water. Get medical attention if irritation persists.

Active Ingredients : Resmethrin: 0.20% Inert Ingredients : (Contains Petroleum Distillates ) 99.80% USDA: F1 Color: Colorless

Malathion

Malathion is an organophosphate parasympathomimetic which binds irreversibly to cholinesterase. Malathion is an insecticide of relatively low human toxicity.

Malathion is a pesticide that is widely used in agriculture, residential landscaping, public recreation areas, and in public health pest control programs such as mosquito eradication, used in conjunction with diesel fuel to fog an area where there is an infestation of mosquitoes. In the US, it is the most commonly used organophosphate insecticide.

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