Mosquito control in Europe
In: Emerging pests and vector-borne diseases in EuropeSearch for other papers by Norbert Becker in
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The history of mosquito control goes back to ancient times and was first mentioned in the western hemisphere by Herodotus 450 years BC. However, effective control started with the discovery of the role of mosquitoes in pathogen and parasite transmission at the turn of the 20th century. In the following decades, effective insecticides used in integrated control strategies were discovered. With the foundation of the European Mosquito Control Association (EMCA) in 2000, a forum was created for intensive exchange of knowledge in the field of sound mosquito control. Soon after its foundation, several hundred members joined the EMCA from 22 countries, including more than 20 European abatement districts, which were founded between 1958 and 2001. More than 2.3 million hectares of larval habitats such as flood plains, rice fields and salt marshes must be treated for mosquito control regularly. In most programmes the bio-insecticides Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis and B. sphaericus are used, which provide effective control in an environmentally-benign manner.