Implication of expanded polystyrene and shredded waste polystyrene to control Anopheles spp, Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, Iran

Due to insecticide resistance, environmental pollution and difficulty in biological control, usage of conventional larval control measures are not applicable in mosquito breeding places. As part of Integrated Vector Management program, we aimed to asses the effectiveness of two polystyrene beads types for Anopheles spp larvae control under laboratory, semi-field and field conditions. Anopheles stephensi was used for experimental purpose. In each tray 250 larvae of late 3rd and early 4th instars larvae were introduced. The experiment was conducted in 4 replicates of each expanded polystyrene treated, Shredded waste polystyrene treated and control trays. Emerge was calculated every day Density of larvae calculated for pre-treatment and post-treatment. Mortality rate and Inhibition of Emerge for An.stephensi was 100% by using expanded polystyrene and 99.05% for Shredded waste polystyrene. There was no significant difference between number of adult mosquitoes and larval density in Pretreatment and Post-treatment in all artificial pools and field experiments, (P<0.05). The trend for control was not significant. Difference between 2 treatment was not significant. The polystyrene beads should be applied according to the nature of habitats. Utility of EPS and SWAP with other supportive measures could assist the elimination process of mosquito-borne diseases.