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Glossary of Terms 

Abatement - The removal or elimination of a problem, nuisance, or other disturbance especially of public health or safety significance

Adult - The mature stage of a mosquito’s life

Adulticide - A pesticide targeted to eliminate an insect pest in the adult stage

Bloodmeal - The blood taken into a mosquito's gut for egg development

Bs (Bacillus sphaericus) - A naturally occurring soil bacterium that infects and kills mosquito larvae, microbial insecticide that is commercially available

Bti (Bacillus thuringienis israelensis) - A naturally occurring soil bacterium that controls mosquito larvae; microbial insecticide that is commercially available, which is highly selective, controlling the larval stage of mosquitoes

Efficacy - Effectiveness

Endemic- A disease constantly present in a particular region; native to a particular country, nation, or region, said of plants, animals and customs

Epidemic - An outbreak of disease affecting many individuals at once above a level of what is normally expected

Gambusia - Is a genus of fish also known as mosquitofish

Host - A living organism that harbors another organism (e.g., virus, bacteria, protozoan, fungi, etc.), typically providing shelter and nourishment

Instar - The form assumed by insects between molts. Mosquitoes develop through 4 larval instars

Integrated Vector Management - also know IVM, a control strategy that uses mechanical devices, physical devices, genetic, biological, legal, cultural management, and chemical management

Larva(e) - For mosquitoes: the feeding aquatic life stage of the mosquito

Larvicide - A pesticide targeted to eliminate an insect pest in the larval stage

Mortality Rate - The proportion of deaths in a specific population

Mosquito-borne - Delivered by a mosquito

Mosquito pool - A collection of mosquitoes, generally prepared and submitted for virus testing

Permethrin - A synthetic insecticide of the pyrethroid class used for adulticiding

Proboscis - The piercing mouthparts of the mosquito

Pupa(e) - The intermediate stage between larva and adult, where the insect body structures change to those present on the adult

Pesticide Resistance (Genetic)- A process where a portion of a population with some genetic advantage, usually due to a genetic mutation, survive an exposure to a normally lethal material, and go on to produce offspring that also have the ability to survive exposure to that material

Source Reduction - Elimination of mosquito producing sites

Synergist - Any admixture to a substance for increasing the effectiveness of one or more of its properties

Temperature inversion- When the temperature increases rather than decreases with increasing height which can greatly affect adulticiding applications or operations

U.L.V. - Ultra Low Volume. A method of pesticide dispersal using small amounts of concentrated material to treat a large area

Vector - An organism which transports and transmits a parasite or pathogen from one host to another; or causes direct harm or injury to people or animals; or causes significant annoyance to humans or animals