Article ID: JJID.2014.448
Residents of Vietnam living in areas with water shortages collect and store tap water when available in containers such as jars, for their daily activities. Although these water jars are important breeding sites of the mosquito, the use of chemical larvicides in such containers is legally prohibited in Vietnam. The effect of Olyset® Net on the abundance of mosquito larvae and predatory Heteroptera (Micronecta and Veliidae) in jars was evaluated in field experiments conducted at Tan Chanh, Long An, Vietnam. The number of Aedes larvae reduced if the jar was covered using Olyset® Net, while the numbers of non-Aedes mosquito larvae (Culex and Anopheles), as well as those of Micronecta and Veliidae did not change until the end of the experiment. However, the Micronecta population increased after removing the Olyset® Net from the jars and Aedes larvae decreased due to the increase in the Micronecta number, 3 weeks after the Olyset® Net was removed. Incomplete use of Olyset® Net failed to control mosquitoes in the jars because of the invasion of adult mosquitoes and water transfer by residents among the jars, transferring even the larvae. The results suggest that Micronecta, as well as Olyset® Net, can be considered as possible larval control agents.
