Oviposition attractiveness and toxicity of the insecticide fipronil for Culex mosquitoes in Northern Kentucky

Culex mosquitoes are the primary vectors of diseases that affect humans and other animals, including West Nile virus. Since vaccines are not available for humans for West Nile virus, control on the Culex vectors is the most effective way to reduce disease transmission. The goal of this project is to determine the suitability of using the insecticide fipronil for mosquito control. Semi-controlled field assays are being conducted to determine the effect of fipronil on oviposition choice of female Culex mosquitoes. For each field assay, egg rafts are being collected daily for ten weeks to determine oviposition attractiveness. Bioassays will also be conducted to determine lethal concentrations of fipronil for field-collected larval and adult Culex mosquitoes in the Northern Kentucky region. Determining the attractiveness of ovipositing female mosquitoes and larval and adult toxicity to fipronil can be used to improve control methods for Culex populations, thus reducing transmission of diseases.