EXTENSION (60%)
Development of extension
demonstration and education programs on community pests such as mosquitoes,
flies, ticks, and fire ants. Integrated pest management of mosquitoes,
ticks, and other bloodfeeding arthropods. Pesticide certification and
recertification training for public operators licensed to control public
health pests.
- Mosquito
IPM. Field and laboratory activities to
demonstrated and promote adoption of a balanced, environmentally compatible
management techniques.
- General Extension.
Activities such as responding to requests for assistance in solving
community pest problems, development of publications and training
materials, and participating in training workshops.
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RESEARCH (40%)
Vector biology;
basic and applied research on the ecology, behavior and/or control of
arthropods of public health importance, such as mosquitoes, ticks, tabanid
biting files, biting midges, the red imported fire ant, and fleas. Arthropod-host
interactions such as bloodfeeding and pathogen transmission. Environmental
and behavioral factors affecting mosquito oviposition.
- Mosquito
oviposition attractants. Field and laboratory
experiments on the ecology and behavior of urban container-inhabiting
mosquitos, Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, and
Ochlerotatus triseriatus, will be continued with emphasis
on oviposition attractants produced by the bacterial community in
production sites. Laboratory experiments are currently being conducted
to isolate and chemically identify semiochemicals produced by bacterial
species in organic infusions that mediate mosquito oviposition behavior.
- Mosquito bionomics
A comparative investigation of the biology of Ochlerotatus triseriatus
and Aedes albopictus in areas of Western North Carolina
where La Crosse virus is endemic is currently in progress. La Crosse
virus is a leading cause of pediatric encephalitis in the southern
Appalachian region of the United States. Ochlerotatus triseriatus
is the principal vector of La Crosse virus in disease endemic
areas. Aedes albopictus has recently extended its geographic
distribution into areas where transmission of La Crosse virus occurs.
The objectives of this research are to comparatively evaluate selected
components of the vectorial capacity of each mosquito species for
La Crosse virus.
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