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Insecticide Resistance: Innovation and Collaboration in a Changing Landscape Symposium

Insecticide Resistance: Innovation and Collaboration in a Changing Landscape Symposium

77 - Development of a best practices guide for sentinel cage field trials to assess mosquito control space sprays

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM PDT

Location: B115

Presenter(s)

Sarah S. Wheeler, PhD

Laboratory Director
Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, California, United States

Co-Author(s)

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Áine Lehane, Technical Advisor (she/her/hers)

Technical Advisor
Cornell University, New York, United States
Casey Parker-Crockett, PhD

Research Entomologist
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado, United States
TN

Tiffany Nguyen, PhD, MPH

Georgia Department of Public Health, Georgia, United States
Edmund Norris, Research Chemist

Research Chemist
USDA-ARS, Florida, United States
Karla Saavedra Rodriguez

Research-Professor
Colorado State University, Colorado, United States
Daniel Markowski, PhD

Technical Advisor
AMCA, California, United States
Gregory White, PhD

Assistant Director
Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, Utah, United States
LH

Laura C. Harrington, Professor

Professor
Cornell University, New York, United States

Abstract: Mosquito control agencies rely on precise insecticide applications to reduce adult mosquito populations, both to interrupt disease transmission and to minimize nuisance biting. Ultra-low volume applications of formulated insecticides are commonly delivered by aircraft, ground-based vehicles, or backpack sprayers. The effectiveness of these space sprays is strongly influenced by application parameters, environmental conditions, and the susceptibility of target mosquito populations to the insecticide used.

To ensure effective control, agencies need reliable methods for assessing the performance of adult mosquito control applications. A widely used approach involves field cage trials, in which mosquitoes contained within sentinel cages are exposed to spray applications and evaluated for post-exposure mortality. However, field cage trials can be challenging to conduct because they require specialized equipment, live mosquito populations, and must be carried out under field conditions that are often unpredictable and difficult to control.

To address critical knowledge gaps related to insecticide resistance and maintain the effectiveness of mosquito control strategies, a national insecticide resistance working group was established. In collaboration with the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), the group is developing a Field Cage Trial Best Practices document that will be made available to AMCA members. This guide will provide detailed information on field cage trial design, implementation, resources, analysis, safety, and troubleshooting. A brief overview of each section will be presented.