Which practice is included under Source Reduction for mosquito control?

• A. Revegetation of wetlands
• B. Draining water and filling ditches
• C. Spraying pesticides in the air
• D. Cleaning gutters

Answer: (B)

Source reduction focuses on removing the places where mosquitoes lay eggs so they can’t complete their life cycle. Draining water and filling ditches does exactly that by eliminating standing water that would serve as larval habitat, preventing eggs from hatching and larvae from developing. It’s a preventive, environmental-management approach that tackles the problem at its source.

Spraying pesticides in the air targets mosquitoes after they’ve developed and spread, which is a chemical control rather than reducing the breeding sites. Revegetating wetlands can actually alter habitat in ways that may not reduce breeding opportunities. Cleaning gutters helps remove small, local pools of water, but draining larger water bodies and filling ditches represents the direct, large-scale source reduction called for in mosquito control.