In this issue, we would like to look at Mosquitoes and Malaria control. In Uganda, it is difficult to talk about mosquito control without talking about Malaria because malaria kills over 5,000 people per year and is the leading cause of death in children under five (5) in Uganda according to Uganda’s Ministry of Health. Malaria is present in 97% of Uganda and has a devastating economic and social effect as it perpetuates poverty. It also affects the most isolated groups, such as poor women and children, in the most aggressive manner. Malaria is transmitted through the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquitoes which feeds on human blood, rests indoors and feeds indoors, with the peak of biting activity being between 10.00 p.m. and 4.00 a.m. This behavior makes Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) very effective in controlling malaria in Uganda. Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) and larvicding are the main pest control methods use in managing mosquioes as they targets all types of mosquitoes and mosquito larvae and are very effective if done communally.
Mosquitoes are a family of small insects the Culicidae. They consume blood from living vertebrates, including humans. The females of many species of mosquitoes are blood-sucking pests. In Uganda, we have 3 major species i.e. Anopheles, Aedes and Culex.
Dag & Bragan is one of the few companies trained by Government of Uganda and USAID in Indoor Residual Spraying.
QUALITY ASSURANCE TIP
Always ask your pest control provider to provide an integrated pest management (IPM) plan for your property.
HEALTH & SAFETY TIP
In order to reduce the use of chemicals, communities and property managers can eliminate mosquito breeding grounds by removing unused plastic containers and old tyres, clearing bushes on unused properties , clearing clogged gutters, etc
ENVIRONMENTALTIP
“Bio- control” through the use of natural predators can be used to manage mosquito populations e.g. Introduction of larvae feeding fish.
Plants known to repel mosquitoes may be used in gardens.
CALL DAG & BRAGAN LTD FOR A SITE INSPECTION, QUOTATION, PEST RISK ASSESSMENT, FEEDBACK OR ANY PEST RELATED ISSUE: 0701495430
HOW TO REDUCE INFESTATION
- Indoor Residual Spraying involves spraying the internal surfaces of houses to kill adult female mosquitoes hence reducing the mosquito population and reducing human/mosquito contact.
- Larval Control is the control of mosquitoes by killing larva in breeding sites using chemicals.
- Managing breeding sites by reducing stagnant water or any other favorable breeding sites.
FUN FACTS
- Only female mosquitoes feed on blood. Both male and female feed mainly on fruit and plant nectar, but the female also needs the protein in blood to help her eggs develop. Once she’s had her fill of blood, she’ll rest for a couple of days before laying her eggs.
- Mosquitoes don’t have teeth. The females “bite” with a long, pointed mouthpart called a proboscis. They use the serrated proboscis to pierce the skin and locate a capillary, then draw blood through one of two tubes.
- A mosquito can drink up to three times its weight in blood. It would take about 1.2 million bites to drain all the blood from your body.
- Indoor Residual spraying led to the elimination of malaria in America, Southern Europe, USSR and great reductions in many Caribbean and South Eastern Asian countries.
- Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acids at distances of 25-30 meters and that is how they track their hosts.
- A mosquito can fly up to 1.5km with the help of winds. This makes communal pest control necessity in mosquito control since breeding sites can be far from one’s home.
- Mosquitoes are usually blamed for Malaria but they are as innocent. The real parasites live in man, Mosquitoes are just carries from one man to another.
