New Mountain Innovations seeks to provide a wide area coverage solution to mosquito infestation associated with flooded croplands such as rice-lands by developing its acoustic larvicide technique, which will rupture the internal air bladders of mosquito larvae with acoustic energy. APPROACH: Acoustic Larvicide is a technique where mosquito larvae are killed by rupturing their internal air bladders with acoustic energy. Their air bladders are resonant and therefore susceptible to acoustic energy in the octave from 18 kilohertz to 30 kilohertz. When sound at these frequencies with sufficient energy is put in the water the mosquito larvae instantly die. New Mountain Innovations along with it partners Louisiana State University and Airmar Corporation are proposing a 3 month program to explore the possibility of applying this technology. Three major questions must be answered in Phase I to make an assessment of the viability: 1. Real world measurements of the acoustic propagation characteristics of rice-lands, 2. Potential effects on non-target species especially crayfish, 3. System performance characteristics such as size, weight, power consumption, acoustic performance. In addition, helicopter interface issues, must be evaluated. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Control of mosquitoes from flooded croplands such as rice-lands is essential for the well being of rural Americans. Control of these mosquitoes has been a challenge for many reasons including; the high cost of pesticides, restrictions on many pesticides to be sprayed over water, their environmental impacts, and reduced effectiveness due to increased immunity of mosquitoes and larvae. New Mountain Innovations recently discovered Acoustic Larvicide, an environmentally friendly, cost effective, non-pesticide mosquito control technique. Application of this technology for wide area coverage such as rice-lands could provide a solution to mosquito infestation associated with flooded croplands. Direct acoustic measurements of the propagation environment of rice-lands will result in new absorption coefficients that can be applied to standard sonar models to predict the potential range of effectiveness of an array design. Non-Target studies of species in the environment will prove the benign nature of this technique. A preliminary design of a helicopter deployed acoustic array will be generated from a few conceptual candidates. Array performance will be assessed looking in particular at the practicality of helicopter interface, and the expected range performance. In addition, an operational analysis study will be conducted with cost-benefit-trades offs.
Keywords: mosquito; larvicide; acoustic; rice-lands; pesticide; helicopter; flooded croplands
