Control of larval Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) by cyclopoid copepods in peridomestic breeding containers

Mesocyclops longisetus (Thiébaud), Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides Harada, Mesocyclops venezolanus Dussart, and Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine) were tested for their effectiveness in controlling Aedes aegypti (L.) larvae in a variety of containers around homes in El Progreso, Honduras. All four cyclopoid species killed > 20 larvae per cyclopoid per d under container conditions. M. longisetus was most effective, not only because it was the most voracious predator, but also because it survived best in the containers. M. longisetus maintained long-term populations in 200-liter drums, tires, vases, and cement tanks (without drains), providing the cyclopoids were not dried or poured out. M. longisetus reduced third- and fourth-instar Ae. aegypti larvae by > 98% compared with control containers without cyclopoids. M. longisetus should be of practical value for community-based Ae. aegypti control if appropriate attention is directed to maintaining it in containers after introduction.