The use of bacterial larvicides in mosquito and black fly control programmes in Brazil

Bacillus spp. based larvides are increasingly replacing, with numerous adva ntages, chemical insecticides in programmes for controlling black fly and m osquito populations. Brazil was among the pioneers in adopting Bacillus thu ringiensis israelensis (B.t.i) to control blackflies. However, the major cu rrent mosquito control programme in Brazil, the Programme for Eradication o f Aedes aegypti launched in 1997, only recently decided to replace temephos by B.t.i based larvicides, in the State of Rio de Janeiro. In the last dec ade, works developed by research groups in Brazilian institutions have gene rated a significant contribution to this subject through the isolation of B . sphaericus new strains, the development of new products and the implement ation of field trials of Bacillus efficacy, against mosquito species under different environmental conditions.