Importation of Dragonfly Nymphs (Odonata: Anisoptera) to Control Mosquito Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern Maine

A long-standing program in Maine promotes stocking of dragonfly (Odonata) nymphs for biological control of nuisance and vector mosquitoes. Currently the only sources of dragonflies for stocking are out-of-state biological supply companies. In 2 dragonfly shipments from suppliers in Massachusetts and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Northeastern naturalist 2020-04, Vol.27 (2), p.330-343
Main Authors: Lubelczyk, Charles B, Elias, Susan P, deMaynadier, Phillip G, Brunelle, Paul M, Smith, Leticia B, Smith, Robert P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anisoptera
Aquatic animals
Aquatic plants
Biological control
Culicidae
Experiments
Fisheries
Habitats
Importation
Indigenous species
Insect control
Introduced species
Larvae
Mosquitoes
Motivation
Nymphs
Odonata
Pesticides
Shipments
Stocking
Suppliers
West Nile virus
Wetlands
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A long-standing program in Maine promotes stocking of dragonfly (Odonata) nymphs for biological control of nuisance and vector mosquitoes. Currently the only sources of dragonflies for stocking are out-of-state biological supply companies. In 2 dragonfly shipments from suppliers in Massachusetts and North Carolina, we determined that 6.8% and 38.5% of species, respectively, were not native to Maine. In an experiment of stocking efficacy, we introduced 4, 2, or 0 dragonfly nymphs into artificial pools in a forest habitat and found no differences in mosquito larvae counts among treatments. While the motivation for using dragonflies as biological control agents is commendable, the practice may be ineffective, and risks accidental introductions of non-native aquatic plants and animals in water used for shipping.
ISSN:1092-6194
1938-5307
DOI:10.1656/045.027.0214