Vol. 6, Issue 5, Part A (2019)

Author(s): Deepak Rawal

Abstract: More than 3000 species of mosquitoes are responsible for millions of death annually. Adult females of most species have proboscis to feed on blood of many hosts such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and even other arthropods. They use blood not for their own nourishments but as a source of protein for their eggs. In addition many species can ingest pathogens while biting and transmit them to host, which makes them vectors of many diseases like malaria, dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, encephalitis, yellow fever, filariasis, West Nile etc. Biocontrol agents may be predators, pathogens, parasites or competitors. Different biocontrol agents include fishes, tadpoles, lizards, cannibalistic mosquito species, dragonflies, bugs, mites, copepods, helminthes, planarians, bacteria, fungus etc. This review presents information on different biocontrol strategies used in past and present with their status and potential of use in mosquito control.