In the past two years, Gingrich et al. (2005, in manuscript) have demonstrated that shallow, highly vegetated ponds are also the ponds most prone to producing excess numbers of mosquito larvae. Mosquitoes become a problem because, as their numbers increase, they become not only a nuisance, but also a health threat for humans and animals, carrying such diseases as the West Nile virus. Because mosquito control resources throughout the state are limited, and relatively little is known about storm water ponds, they are generally the last to be treated for mosquito reduction purposes. Therefore, it is highly desirable to prevent ponds from becoming ideal places for mosquito breeding before mosquitoes can establish themselves in such ponds.
Methods of mosquito control for storm water ponds and other mosquito breeding areas should be as self-sustaining as possible. This means that the mosquito management methods should not only be environmentally safe, but also cost effective, and require minimal human resource inputs to implement.