Efficacy Of Unmanned Aerial Application Of Deltamethrin Against Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

This is the first reported study on efficacy of aerial ultra-low volume (ULV) application of an adulticide using a small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) in the United States. Imperium™ Insecticide (Bayer CropScience LP), containing the active ingredient (AI) deltamethrin, is the only Type II pyrethroid registered in the United States for wide area mosquito control. It is currently registered for application with hand-held, backpack, portable, ground and aerial ULV sprayers. PrecisionVision® unmanned aircraft system (Leading Edge Aerial Technologies, Inc.) is designed specifically for the aerial application of both liquid and granular products as well as ULV adulticide applications. Two trials were conducted to determine the efficacy of ULV spray applications of deltamethrin formulation using the sUAS at 0.00089 lbs AI/acre Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Florida (FL) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) in California (CA). Both trials implemented a similar study design. Treatment stations were placed on a 3x3 grid at various distances downwind from the sUAS path. Three control stations were placed upwind of the sUAS path for each treatment. Each station was equipped with two mosquito cages and a rotating spinner with 1x3 inch Teflon-coated slides for capturing data to determine the droplet spectrum. Mosquito knockdown data was recorded approximately one hour post-treatment and mortality data was assessed approximately 12 hours post-treatment. The trial in FL achieved complete knockdown and kill against Aedes aegypti. The trial in CA achieved greater than 94% knockdown and 100% mortality against Culex quinquefasciatus.