Study finds pesticide-free way to combat mosquitoes and West Nile
Hungry minnows the answer to decreasing pesky insect and possibly deadly infection.
Hungry minnows the answer to decreasing pesky insect and possibly deadly infection.
By Sam Toman Faculty of EnvironmentResearchers at the University of Waterloo may have discovered a new, pesticide-free way to limit mosquito populations in some area and reduce the spread of the West Nile virus.
The study by Waterloo researcher Brad Fedy discovered that introducing hungry minnows into bodies of water where mosquitoes breed results in the minnows feeding on mosquito larvae, which dramatically decreases the number of adult mosquitoes capable of carrying the disease.
Treatment ponds demonstrated suppressed levels of mosquito larva over each season compared to controls with a model-predicted 114 per cent decrease in larva density within treatment ponds.
“There are many potential advantages to using indigenous fish species as an alternative for larval control including lowered environmental impact, decreased costs regarding time and financial inputs, and the potential for the establishment of self-sustaining fish populations,” said Fedy. “This isn’t a complete solution to the dangers of West Nile, but it should be considered as part of any plan to protect the health of vulnerable populations.”
Fedy and his team discovered the method while researching sage grouse populations in the intermountain west. Sage grouse populations suffer adverse impacts from mosquitoes transferring viruses like West Nile and investigated ways to mitigate those negative impacts. What they discovered could also improve human health.
A full version of the study, Assessing the efficacy of fathead minnows, can be found in Public Library of Science.
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The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.