Honors Program Theses

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Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)

First Advisor

Kamyar Enshayan, Honors Thesis Advisor

Keywords

Mosquitoes--Control; Pesticides--Environmental aspects;

Abstract

Iowa summers bring a marked increase in mosquitoes: insects that are known vectors of several diseases, including West Nile virus, and are often considered a nuisance to the general public. One mosquito control method used in Iowa (and elsewhere) is spraying insecticides into public parks and residential areas. While contributing an immediate knock-down effect, a concern with pesticides is the adverse health effects their constituent ingredients may have on humans (and the environment). Some of these effects have not been fully realized yet as there is little information about chronic exposure to the pesticides. Many organizations, including the CDC, advocate an integrated approach to mosquito management, where spraying is only one part, if not a last resort. Five communities in Iowa utilizing insecticide fogging were contacted to learn about their practices, products sprayed, and any alternative control methods in use. Of the communities interviewed, the two main active insecticide ingredients were permethrin and chlorpyrifos, and most communities referenced additional controls. Implementing a full integrated approach—including thresholds—could improve vector control and reduce citizen exposure to pesticides.

Year of Submission

2021

Department

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

University Honors Designation

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the designation University Honors

Date Original

5-2021

Object Description

1 PDF file (55 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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