Provide an example of a non-chemical intervention for urban mosquito control.

• A. Aerosolized larvicides in the air.
• B. Source reduction through community clean-up campaigns; removal of stagnant water; improving drainage; house screening.
• C. Applying broad-spectrum insecticides to all neighborhoods.
• D. Introducing predators in the air.

Answer: (B)

Non-chemical urban mosquito control relies on removing the places where mosquitoes breed and limiting their access to people. Source reduction is a classic example: communities clean up potential breeding sites, remove stagnant water, improve drainage, and keep areas like yards and gutters clear. Adding house screening further reduces how many mosquitoes can get indoors and bite people, all without pesticides. This approach tackles mosquitoes at the root of the problem—their larval habitats and entry to homes—so it’s practical, sustainable, and directly lowers the human–mosquito contact risk.

Aerosolized larvicides and broad-spectrum insecticides are chemical interventions, which is why they don’t fit the “non-chemical” requirement. Introducing predators in the air isn’t a realistic or reliable urban strategy for mosquitoes, whereas source reduction targets the conditions that allow mosquitoes to multiply in the first place and is supported as a foundational control measure.