The Influence of Plants on Anopheline Breeding

SummaryThis paper summarizes information on the interrelationships between plants and the breeding habits of certain anopheline mosquitoes. Plants and/or plant parts (flotage) which continuously break the quiet water surface during periods of favorable temperatures provide habitats for A. quadrimaculatus in southeastern United States and for A. albimanus in Central America. An understanding of the field classification of plant types in relation to anopheline production provides clues for the selection, timing, and application of control measures.Water level management, as practiced on reservoirs in the Tennessee Valley, is the most important single measure in the prevention and control of the indigenous malaria mosquito. In some situations, plant control measures, such as mechanical, herbicidal, and biological, are employed as supplements to water level management schedules. A clean-water surface and periodic interruptions of the plant-water-air interface are highly effective for the prevention and control of this anopheline mosquito.