The residual effect of temephos (Abate 4-E) on nontarget communities

The impact of mosquito control on nontarget organisms using Abate-4-E was investigated in terms of immediate mortality and residual activity. Three 10 year old, man-made ponds having similar community structures and population densities were studied. The residual activity, determined by bioassays with 4th instar Aedes communis, was significantly longer in a relatively cooler pond. Populations of copepods and Cladocera took longer to return to control densities in that same pond. The role played by the physicochemical characteristics of the pond water as well as the intrinsic susceptibility and recovery capacity of the populations considered are discussed.