226 - How insecticide resistance monitoring and management has integrated into the Suffolk Mosquito Control program

In 2018 Suffolk Mosquito Control began to monitor insecticide resistance of adulticides in two of our most important mosquito species. Initial results revealed that Culex pipiens was resistant to all pyrethroids, malathion, and chlorpyrifos; Aedes albopictus was susceptible to all pyrethroids and organophosphates. Learning that Cx pipiens, our primary vector for West Nile Virus, was resistant to every adulticide in our tool box was a surprise. Our commitment to annual insecticide resistance monitoring strengthened and we developed our program further.  We re-examined several aspects of our program considering our adulticides, proper adulticide application, adulticide rotation protocols, action thresholds, and alternative control methods. Understanding this problem and finding a solution has become a major focus of the program. Our initial training on the CDC bottle bioassay started our exploration into understanding insecticide resistance and our continued partnership with the Northeast Regional COE for Vector-borne Diseases helps keep us focused and motivated to carry on with this work. Although unwelcomed, insecticide resistance has integrated itself into the program but strong collaborations with these institutions provide support that will help us answer our questions.