Testing the effectiveness and sustainability of a community-based mosquito management program: Understanding the impacts of ecology, perceptions, knowledge, and demographics on long-term program success

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Aubrey Tingler, Marine Estuarine and Environmental Science/Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Background/Question/Methods
The Aedes albopictus mosquito has rapidly invaded territory in the United States and become a growing nuisance and concerning disease vector (Leta, 2018). Traditional mosquito control methods such as larvicide and adulticide are both financially and environmentally costly (CDC, 2020). There is a critical need for community-based mosquito control that can be easily and effectively implemented by residents at a low cost. In the town of University Park, Maryland, a community-based mosquito suppression trapping program began in 2016, using Biogents Gravid Aedes Traps (GAT). Since then, there has been no follow-up on its success. When the program began, research was done indicating that city blocks with 80% trap coverage effectively achieved mosquito suppression (Johnson, 2018). I aim to determine if the program still achieves effective mosquito suppression and what ecological and demographic variables affect the likelihood that residents will deploy a GAT. Through and entomological survey, I will measure current mosquito abundance in University Park as well as container habitat is resident’s yards. Prince George’s County GIS data will be used to evaluate land cover and classify land and water features. This geographic data will be used to control for habitat variation. A human subject survey derived from resident interviews will be deployed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) as well as demographics and socioeconomic status of residents. Data will be analyzed using generalized linear models (GLM) in order to determine predictors of trap deployment. Trap coverage by block will be used to determine suppression success and current participation levels compared to original participation and mosquito suppression.
Results/Conclusions
Preliminary results from resident interviews indicate that only about 33% of original participants still deploy at trap, despite continuing dissatisfaction with mosquito nuisance levels. Additionally, households with young children seem to have abandoned the GATs for easier alternatives, such as chemical sprays. Understanding what drives resident participation or drop-out of community-based management programs is essential to creating sustainable, citizen-driven, ecological management programs.