Control of acidic drain-water-breeding mosquitoes in New South Wales, Australia, by installing controlled leakage holes in tidal flap gates
Easton, C.; Marshall, A.
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 16(1): 19-21
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 8756-971X PMID: 10757486 Document Number: 512774
Effects on mosquito (mainly Culex sitiens, but also sometimes Aedes vigilax) breeding, acidity, and fish presence were assessed in 1991-92 after installation of a small tidal leakage port (60 mm) into an acidic drain's tidal exclusion flap gate near the Tweed River, New South Wales, Australia. Before gate modification the drain water had pH values as low as 2.7. These water conditions were toxic to fish and continually held mosquito larvae. At 4 weeks after gate modification, water pH had risen to 6.0, at least 3 fish species (Gambusia affinis, Hypseleotris sp. and Pseudomugil signifer) inhabited the drain and eating the larvae, and mosquito larval numbers had been reduced by 99.98%.