RE: Acoustic larvicides

I think you've hit the high points. My understanding is that the frequency
and intensity of the sound waves used are similar to depth sounders and
such.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bryon P. Backenson [mailto:bpb01@health.state.ny.us]
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 9:41 AM
To: westnilevirus-l@cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Acoustic larvicides

----------
The question was posed re:acoustic larviciding.

Find one source of information at www.larvasonic.com This site
describes
on one such device works.

Note that this instrument has a 3 foot kill radius, which means that it
might
be useful in drains, puddles, barrels, etc, rather than in ponds.
It would not be mosquito-specific. Whether the particular frequency would
be
harmful to fish, tadpoles, microinvertebrates, benthos, etc. is not
indicated.

Michael Gochfeld
-----------

I want to clarify this a bit, having talked with the
inventor/developer/chairman of Larvasonic. When I last talked to them,
they were selling at least three products, all of which worked differently,
and had different kill radii. One was a like a weed whacker or metal
detector where you would immerse the head of the unit, and zap the larvae
using sonic waves. The second was a unit that could be towed behind a
boat, or towed by an ATV from the shore. It would zap the larvae as you
slowly moved it forward. The last was a permanent mount system that seemed
perfect for something like a water treatment facility. The unit could be
mounted to a wall and timers set to kill larvae periodically.

This last point is an important one, as you only kill what is present at
that particular time, and will require repeated "applications" for
continued control.

I was also under the impression that the product was mosquito specific, as
the wave used was "tuned" to the mosquito larvae's air bladder. The waves
used cause this bladder to burst almost instantly. While I'm not sure that
I buy that it is completely safe to other aquatic insects and insect
larvae, I am pretty confident that it is not harmful to fish.

And, as an side, the product resulted from a high school science fair
project. I'd suggest that anyone interested head to the larvasonic
website, as indicated above.

Note that NYSDOH does not use or endorse this product. I just wanted to
pass on some information I got from talking to the inventor, and from
having seen live demonstrations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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P. Bryon Backenson
Research Scientist and Assistant Director
Arthropod-Borne Disease Program
New York State Department of Health
ESP, Corning Tower Room 632
Albany, NY 12237
phone: 518-474-4568
fax: 518-473-1708
e-mail: bpb01@health.state.ny.us
Received on Mon Mar 17 11:13:12 2003