Pesticides Used in Mosquito Control

There are a variety of products available on the market for the public and for professionals when it comes to mosquito control. Larvicides are chemicals designed to be applied directly to water to control mosquito larvae. Adulticides are used in fogging and spraying to control adult mosquitoes. Synergists are not toxic to the mosquitoes themselves, but they make adulticides more effective. Some communities provide mosquito control as a service to the public and may apply pesticides from trucks or planes. To find out whether or not your community sprays for mosquitoes, try contacting your local health department or mosquito control district.

If you decide to use a pesticide for mosquito control, always remember to read and follow the label instructions carefully. For more safety tips about pesticides, click here or call NPIC at the number on the bottom of the screen.

Pesticides for Adult (Flying) Mosquitoes

• Toxicologic Information about Insecticides used for Eradicating Mosquitoes - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids Fact Sheet - NPIC
• Pyrethrins Registration Eligibility Decision - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Pesticide Toxicity Profile: Synthetic Pyrethroid Pesticides (mammalian and wildlife toxicity tables) - University of Florida Extension Service
• Permethrin & Resmethrin TEACH Chemical Summary - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Resmethrin Technical Fact Sheet - NPIC
• Resmethrin Registration Eligibility Decision - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Permethrin, Resmethrin, Sumithrin: Synthetic Pyrethroids for Mosquito Control - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Anvil and Mosquito Control - New York State Department of Health
• Scourge and Mosquito Control - New York State Department of Health
• Naled for Mosquito Control - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Malathion for Mosquito Control - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Malathion and Mosquito Control Information Sheet - New York State Department of Health
• Malathion Registration Eligibility Decision - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Safety of Pesticides Used to Control Adult Mosquitoes: Questions and Answers for Public Health Professionals - California Department of Health Services

Pesticides for Larval Mosquitoes (young mosquitoes in water)

• Larvicides for Mosquito Control - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• West Nile Virus Larvicides - New York City Department of Health
• West Nile Virus ALTOSID / Methoprene - New York City Department of Health
• Toxicologic Information About Insecticides Used for Eradicating Mosquitoes: Methoprene - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• West Nile Virus VECTOLEX (Bacillus sphaericus) - New York City Department of Health
• West Nile Virus VECTOBAC (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) - New York City Department of Health
• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) General Fact Sheet - NPIC
• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Technical Fact Sheet - NPIC

Pesticide Synergists

• Piperonyl Butoxide General Fact Sheet - NPIC
• Piperonyl Butoxide Technical Fact Sheet - NPIC
• N-Octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide (MGK 264) Reregistration Eligibility Decision - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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