Relative efficacy of insecticide treated mosquito nets (Diptera: Culicidae) under field conditions

The relative efficacy of insecticide treated mosquito nets was evaluated under field conditions in Dehra village of Dhaulana PHC, District Ghaziabad, U.P., India, during 1996. Nylon nets were impregnated with deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, lambdacyhalothrin, and etofenprox at 25 mg/m2 by standard methods. Repellent, excito-repellency, killing, and airborne actions were monitored from dusk to dawn by hourly collection of mosquitoes that entered and rested in rooms and also females that landed on treated and untreated mosquito nets. Results revealed 15.3-22.9% repellent action, 98.3-99.3% excito-repellency action, and 100% mortality of females that landed on treated fabrics. No significant differences were observed in the efficacy of different synthetic pyrethroids against anophelines. However, against Culex quinquefasciatus Say there was a significant difference between deltamethrin and etofenprox. Control of anophelines was more pronounced than Cx. quinquefasciatus. There was no pronounced airborne action with any insecticide tested. Synthetic pyrethroids with strong airborne action may be more appropriate for impregnation of mosquito nets.