Methods in Anopheles Research - MR4

Chapter 1 : Insectary Operation1.2 Cleanliness and General MaintenancePage 7 of 8Figure 1.2.8. (Left) This is an example of wellcleaned working insectary with appropriate storage.Items prone to mold spores from the environment (inthis case sugar-soaked cotton balls) are placed inTupperware containers to shield them. Minimumamounts of daily use items are stored on the shelves.Storage items are placed outside the insectaryenvironment. Using rolling carts with brakes in theinsectary can be a great way to make cleaning easyand efficient. Also, in case of emergency, it is easy tomove items in or out of the insectary.Figure 1.2.9. (Right) Clutter in theinsectary renders the cluttered items dirtyas well as the environment harmful formosquitoes. Any cardboard surfaces suchas the one on the bottom of this shelf canand will hold mold and fungal growth.Pest controlSentinels for cleanlinessInfestations of many insect pests occur due to inadequate cleanliness in the insectary. Periodic cleaningand routine trapping of insects will eliminate food sources thereby reducing their numbers. Cockroaches(Figures 1.2.11 and 1.2.12) typically occur in areas where excess food has been spilled and there arenumerous harborage sites. They are known to passively carry several different pathogenic bacteria ontheir carapaces that they spread while they move about. Cockroaches will also catch and consume livingmosquitoes. Book lice, also known as paper lice, are cosmopolitan insects that live in dark, humidconditions (Figure 1.2.13). They are typically associated with excess food spillage or starchy papergoods on which they feed. Unlike cockroaches, book lice are not known to cause harm to mosquitoes,however their appearance may equate to unclean conditions in the insectary. Once established, they aredifficult to eliminate however turning off the humidity and raising the temperature during a temporary shutdownin the insectary may eliminate large numbers of them. Excess diet should also be disposed of,autoclaved, or kept at 4ºC to kill off lice.