Abstract: In spring of 2022, Collier Mosquito Control District initiated a new surveillance and control program tailored to local Mansonia mosquito species. The pilot site for this program was a rural area with numerous irrigation ditches that provided abundant habitat for larval Mansonia, which are obligately associated with aquatic weeds such as water lettuce and water hyacinth. However, the program faced a number of challenges related to site access, habitat assessment, and navigation of the rapidly changing landscape. To meet these challenges, we turned to drones. During the field season, drones were used to deploy and retrieve traps, perform targeted larvicide applications, and generate up-to-date aerial images for use in site evaluation and treatment decision-making. This presentation will discuss the process of program development, preliminary efficacy assessments, and predicted impacts of new Florida legislation on the future of the program.
