Advantages of Biological

Control

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• Minimal pollution of the environment.

• Little or no effect on beneficial and non-target organisms.

• Non-detectable level of host resistance, or slow development if any

• Possible recycling or establishment of

biological agents that will permanently reduce pest populations.

• As a highly visible part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, the use of biological agents for mosquito control may:

• Encourage active cooperation from the public.
• May be a solution for small, back yard larval mosquito habitats difficult to reach or requiring frequent chemical control with conventional approaches.

• Biological Control may provide long-term and ecologically responsible suppression of mosquito populations

• In the future, we may be less able to rely on the rapid control provided traditional pesticides.

Disadvantages of Biological Control

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• Generally, each biological agent is host-specific and effective against only one or just a few species

• Mass production of biological agents is difficult, time consuming, and labor intensive

• Initially, biological agents are more expensive than conventional methods of control

• Biological agents require highly trained personnel to assess the circumstances under which they can be used effectively

• Scientific experiments in assessing biological control agents require more than one season

• Biological agents are generally more difficult to use than conventional pesticides.

Mosquito control has been seriously challenged by the threat of emerging diseases, limited availability of control products, resistance concerns, public perceptions, and most importantly,

environmental and regulatory concerns.