Investigation of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus in controlling mosquito larvae under field conditions in Zhejiang province, China

Abstract

Mosquito-borne infectious diseases (MBDs) have become a major public health threat in China, and mosquito control has been regarded as the most effective measures to prevent and control MBDs. According to our previous researches, loaches (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) was effective on swallowing Aedes albopictus larvae in laboratory experiments. Its effect on controlling mosquitoes in residential environment remains unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of locahes on controlling mosquito larvae under field conditions then to explore its potential for control mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases. 16 households were randomly chosen in Nanhui village Shaoxing city, Zhejiang province, China, in June 2021. Containers with the capacity above four liters in each household were randomly devided into test group and control group. Juvenile loaches were put into containers in test group with one loach per four liters water in each container. Observations were conducted every two weeks to inspect the amount of mosquito larvae in each container, when dead loaches would be replaced into alive ones. A total of 104 ponding containers were selected with 68 containers as test groups and 36 containers as control group. Eight observations from June to October were recorded. The standard decrease rate of mosquito larvae was 72.06% in test group, and significant difference in the number of larval mosquitoes was observed between control group and test group (GLMM, F = 9.525, P < 0.05). With excellent effect on controlling mosquitoes larvae, environment friendly, low cost and high acceptance among residents, loaches could be a potential method for biological control of mosquito larvae in residential environment.