What is an Adulticide?

• A. A pesticide used to kill adult mosquitoes
• B. A surveillance method where mosquitoes are counted as they land on a human in a set time
• C. A trap that captures larvae
• D. A pesticide used to kill larvae

Answer: (A)

Adulticide refers to a pesticide designed to kill adult mosquitoes. This type of product targets flying, biting mosquitoes to reduce immediate human–mosquito contact, often used when rapid suppression of adult populations is needed or when larval control won’t quickly lower biting pressure. It is different from larvicides, which kill mosquitoes in their aquatic larval stage, and from surveillance methods that measure mosquito activity (like counting landings) or traps that collect larvae for monitoring.