Mosquito Control Priorities in Florida—Survey Results from Florida Mosquito Control Districts
Rishi Kondapaneni,
Ashley N. Malcolm,
Brian M. Vazquez,
Eric Zeng,
Tse-Yu Chen,
Kyle J. Kosinski,
Ana L. Romero-Weaver,
Bryan V. Giordano,
Benjamin Allen,
Michael T. Riles,
Daniel Killingsworth,
Lindsay P. Campbell,
Eric P. Caragata,
Yoosook Lee
Affiliations
Rishi Kondapaneni
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Ashley N. Malcolm
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Brian M. Vazquez
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Eric Zeng
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Tse-Yu Chen
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Kyle J. Kosinski
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Ana L. Romero-Weaver
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Bryan V. Giordano
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Benjamin Allen
Mosquito Control Division, City of Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL 32202, USA
Michael T. Riles
Beach Mosquito Control District, Panama City Beach, FL 32413, USA
Daniel Killingsworth
Environmental Security Pest Control, Cantonment, FL 32533, USA
Lindsay P. Campbell
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Eric P. Caragata
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Yoosook Lee
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Florida lies within a subtropical region where the climate allows diverse mosquito species including invasive species to thrive year-round. As of 2021, there are currently 66 state-approved Florida Mosquito Control Districts, which are major stakeholders for Florida public universities engaged in mosquito research. Florida is one of the few states with extensive organized mosquito control programs. The Florida State Government and Florida Mosquito Control Districts have long histories of collaboration with research institutions. During fall 2020, we carried out a survey to collect baseline data on the current control priorities from Florida Mosquito Control Districts relating to (1) priority control species, (2) common adult and larval control methods, and (3) major research questions to address that will improve their control and surveillance programs. The survey data showed that a total of 17 distinct mosquito species were considered to be priority control targets, with many of these species being understudied. The most common control approaches included truck-mounted ultra-low-volume adulticiding and biopesticide-based larviciding. The districts held interest in diverse research questions, with many prioritizing studies on basic science questions to help develop evidence-based control strategies. Our data highlight the fact that mosquito control approaches and priorities differ greatly between districts and provide an important point of comparison for other regions investing in mosquito control, particularly those with similar ecological settings, and great diversity of potential mosquito vectors, such as in Florida. Our findings highlight a need for greater alignment of research priorities between mosquito control and mosquito research. In particular, we note a need to prioritize filling knowledge gaps relating to understudied mosquito species that have been implicated in arbovirus transmission.
