214 - Overview of the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District’s Coquillettidia perturbans control program.

Abstract: The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District developed a Coquillettidia perturbans control program over 30 years ago. This species has been a major contributor to the annoyance of the three million citizens of the Minneapolis & St Paul metropolitan area. This univoltine species utilizes permanent water habitat and physically attaches to established water roots of aquatic plants to obtain oxygen to breathe. The preferred host plant in our region is the common cattail (Typha latiflora) but other plants, such as sedges or grasses, can be utilized. Their preferred habitat requires long standing water in which the plant's water roots can fully develop over time. This species can be difficult to locate but District staff have found many other factors in which contribute to their successful surveillance of this species. This presentation will provide an overview of our cattail program and how it has evolved to control this possible vector species in our seven county region.