Abstract

The microbial control of Anopheles gambiae and other mosquitoes with a granular formulation of Bacillus sphaericus (Vectolex) was evaluated in rice fields and swamps, located around the suburban region of Kingabwa-village in Kinshasa, Zaíre. Ten treatment cycles with 15-day intervals were carried out with the same application rate, 10 kg/ha, during the dry season (May to September 1991). The treatments reduced larval populations of An. gambiae by 98% after 48 h, but repetitive applications were required every 15 days to maintain control. The persistence of B. sphaericus spores was more apparent in rice fields than in swamps. A significant reduction in nuisance biting by Culex quinquefasciatus and Mansonia uniformis was observed. For An. gambiae, a decrease of 13.6% in human biting was noted during the post-treatment period. The entomological inoculation rate was reduced from 0.238 to 0.143. The efficacy of B. sphaericus does not appear to offer outstanding potential for control of An. gambiae in rice fields and swamps and seems to be limited due to different factors tied to ecology and natural conditions in the fields.