An assessment of Plea striola (Hemiptera: Pleidae) as a mosquito control agent in California.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

1979

Original Publication

Mosquito News

Volume

39

Series / Issue

Issue: 3

Pages

514-519

Contributed by

American Mosquito Control Association

Notes

Author(s) - Takahashi, R. M., R. J. Stewart, C. H. Schaefer and R. D. Sjogren.

 

Abstract

Adults of the pigmy backswimmer. Plea striola (Fieber) were brought to California from Minnesota. Pleid adults readily feed on mosquito larvae and do not attack other mosquito predators. Adult P. striola require an exposure to overwintering conditions prior to reproduction. Releases of pleid adults at 2 field locations did not result in the establishment of permanent populations. High temperatures at a 415 m elevation site and the predation by Notonectid backswimmers at a 1800 m site apparently were responsible for their elimination.

Notes

Author(s) - Takahashi, R. M., R. J. Stewart, C. H. Schaefer and R. D. Sjogren.