Research and Development
The District's philosophy on research and development (R&D) is that research must have a practical operational application and develop into a direct and tangible benefit to the communities we serve. Research and development is often a seamless part of our operational program and is a partnership between the academic and research communities with operational mosquito control. Our objective is to apply theories and developed practical operational strategies designed to be cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sensitive.
For decades mosquito control operated on the same basic
principles with little or no change. Over the last twenty five years R&D
has challenged even those basic principles. For example, the most basic of
these principles is the drainage of standing water to eliminate mosquito
breeding. This thinking was in large part the rational for the grid
ditching of salt marshes. The development of
Open Marsh Water Management
(OMWM) provided control of salt marsh mosquitoes by using existing features
of a salt marsh. Ponds, pools, and pans were created or enhanced to serve as
reservoirs for mosquito eating fish and provide access for fish to mosquito
breeding areas through radial connectors. OMWM has enhanced or created
habitat for water fowl and wading shore birds and restored thousands of
acres of salt marsh.
Other examples of the operational benefits of R&D are Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) and Ultra Low Volume (ULV) sprayers. Bti is a highly selective, naturally occurring, biological larvicide that is non toxic to people, birds, fish, bees and virtually all other insect species. Bti affects mosquito larva and a few other closely related aquatic insects. The transition of Bti from a good idea to realistic control strategy is a result of years of operational R&D to overcome formulation and application problems.
For years the staple for controlling adult mosquitoes were mist blowers, dispensing gallons of insecticides on a set regular schedule over short distances. ULV sprayers atomizes insecticides into extremely tiny molecular droplets (8 to 15 micron average) dispensing ounces of material more effectively and economically over many acres. ULV sprayers revolutionized adult mosquito control and is the result of year of operational R&D beginning with the innovative conversion of mist blowers to the computer operated and GPS equipped, variable flow ULV units of today.
