7F Ch6 Cheat Sheet: Mosquito Control Equipment

🎯 Top 5 Traps

1

ULV specs: 12 to 18 micron droplets, 1 to 3 oz per acre, 300-foot truck swath. "Ultra low volume" refers specifically to the 1 to 3 oz/acre rate. Note these specs are TIGHTER than Ch.5's general adulticide range (5 to 27 microns) — Ch.6's ULV-specific droplet size is the more precise number to memorize for equipment-related questions.

2

Most efficient control = LARVICIDING, not adulticiding. Larvae and pupae are the least mobile, most concentrated, and most accessible stages. Adulticiding is a necessary supplement because not all standing water can be treated — but larviciding is preventive and primary.

3

Compression sprayers are LARVICIDING equipment. The word "sprayer" makes this sound like adulticiding gear, but compression sprayers (1 to 5 gal, stainless steel preferred over plastic) are used for liquid larvicide. Adulticide application uses thermal foggers, ULV machines, or residual misters — never compression sprayers.

4

Emulsifiable concentrate (EC) is for AREAS DIFFICULT TO SPRAY IN THE EVENING — parks, golf courses. Applied during the day via airblast sprayers or backpack misters. The exam baits with "when short-term residual is desired" — that's a CONSEQUENCE of EC, not its primary USE CASE. The use case is daytime application; the residual is the bonus.

5

ULV application weather: temperature ABOVE 55 degrees F, wind BELOW 10 mph, not raining. Distractors on the exam: "above 70 F and wind below 2 mph" (too restrictive) and "32 to 90 F and wind below 15 mph" (too permissive). The 55/10 thresholds are exact.

🔢 Numbers You Must Know

Number

What It Represents

12 to 18 microns

ULV droplet size (the chapter-specific range; Ch.5 cites the broader 5 to 27 micron adulticide range)

1 to 3 ounces per acre

ULV insecticide application rate — the "ultra low volume" itself

300 feet

Swath width of a truck-mounted ULV unit

1 to 4

Spray heads available on truck-mounted ULV units

40 gallons per hour

Output of a truck-mounted thermal fog machine (fuel oil + insecticide mixture, superheated)

1 to 5 gallons

Capacity range of compression sprayers and backpack sprayers used for liquid larviciding

12 volts

Common on-demand pump option for truck-mounted larvicide sprayers (or engine-driven pumps for larger units)

below 10 mph

Maximum wind speed for adulticide application (thermal fogging or ULV)

above 55 degrees F

Minimum temperature for adulticide application

several days to several weeks

Residual activity duration of EC barrier sprays (reduced by rain, high temperatures, strong sunlight)

🔀 Easily Confused

Pair / Group

Distinguishing Feature

Larviciding vs Adulticiding

Larviciding: treats standing water; targets aquatic stages; preventive; most efficient. Adulticiding: knockdown of flying adults (thermal/ULV) OR residual barriers; reactive; necessary supplement.

Thermal fog vs ULV

Thermal fog: superheated fuel-oil/insecticide mixture, visible cloud, 40 gal/hr (truck-mounted); becoming OBSOLETE. ULV: cold aerosol, 1 to 3 oz/acre, 12 to 18 micron droplets; less visible, far less insecticide, cost-effective — the standard.

Compression vs Backpack vs Truck-mounted sprayers

Compression: 1 to 5 gal hand-carried, stainless steel preferred. Backpack: up to 5 gal, hands free, ideal for tires/catch basins/tree holes/inaccessible areas. Truck-mounted: large tanks with 12V on-demand or engine-driven pumps, long hose option — for ditches, drains, lagoons.

Hand-carried granular vs Truck-mounted granular

Hand-carried: crank-operated spinning-disk broadcaster — ideal for woodlots, fields, cross-country ditches; metal/solid-plastic container preferred over knapsack (less spillage). Truck-mounted: sandblaster-type with gas-motor compressor — larger ditches and county drains.

Knockdown adulticide vs Residual barrier

Knockdown (thermal/ULV): kills flying adults via droplet impingement. Residual barrier (airblast sprayer/backpack mister with EC): direct kill PLUS several days to several weeks of residual where mosquitoes rest on foliage.

EC formulation use case vs effect

Use case (the right exam answer): areas difficult to spray in the evening — parks, golf courses — applied during the day. Effect (the distractor): provides short-term residual. Don't confuse the use case with the consequence.

Aircraft for larviciding vs adulticiding

Larviciding: routinely used in MI for spring flooded woodlots — both rotary and fixed-wing, granular OR liquid. Adulticiding: expensive option reserved for disease outbreaks or large emergencies.

🚿 Larvicide Equipment Quick Reference

Equipment

Capacity / Format

Best Habitat

Compression sprayer

1 to 5 gal liquid; stainless steel preferred (durable against WPs)

General liquid larviciding; reliable under abrasion of wettable powders

Backpack sprayer

Up to 5 gal liquid; hands free

Tires, catch basins, tree holes, flooded fields, areas inaccessible to truck-mounted units

Truck-mounted sprayer

Large tank; 12V on-demand pump or engine-driven; long hose option for range

Roadside ditches, county drains, rail trails, sewage lagoons. ATV-mounted version for less accessible areas.

Hand-carried granular spreader

Crank-operated spinning-disk; metal/solid-plastic container preferred over knapsack

Seasonally flooded woodlots, flooded fields, cross-country ditches; small areas inaccessible to vehicles

Truck-mounted granular applicator

Sandblaster-type; gas-motor compressor draws granular from container, propels through barrel

Roadside ditches, county drains

Aircraft (rotary or fixed-wing)

Granular or liquid larvicide

Large expanses; spring flooded woodlots in MI — relatively short treatment window justifies aircraft

🛢️ Adulticide Equipment Quick Reference

Equipment

Mechanism / Specs

Best Use

Truck-mounted thermal fogger

Fuel oil + insecticide superheated; 40 gal/hr; visible cloud lingers near ground

Becoming OBSOLETE — once the mainstay, now largely replaced by ULV

Hand-held thermal fogger

Visible vapor cloud condenses to fog; smaller versions sold for home use

Areas inaccessible to vehicle-mounted equipment

Truck-mounted ULV

1 to 4 spray heads; 1 to 3 oz/acre; 12 to 18 micron droplets; 300-ft swath

Standard for most adulticiding — minimal insecticide, cost-effective. Less noticeable cloud than thermal.

Hand-held ULV

Aerosol cloud less noticeable than thermal

Less accessible areas; preferred where less conspicuous treatment is desired

Airblast sprayer / Backpack mister

Emulsifiable concentrate (insecticide + water) applied to foliage; residual several days to several weeks

Parks, golf courses — areas difficult to spray in the evening; applied during daytime. Avoid flowering plants where bees are active.

Aircraft (rotary or fixed-wing)

Treats large areas quickly; expensive

Disease outbreak emergencies; large-scale events. Decision made by the professional in charge after thorough investigation and consultation.

💡 Memory Hooks

ULV specs in one phrase: "12 to 18, 1 to 3, 300." Droplet size 12 to 18 microns, rate 1 to 3 oz/acre, swath 300 feet.

Application weather: "55 and 10." Above 55 degrees F, below 10 mph wind, not raining.

Larvicide priority: "Treat them where they sit." Larvae are concentrated and immobile — far more efficient than chasing flying adults.

Compression = larvicide: "Sprayer ≠ adulticide." Compression sprayers, backpack sprayers, and truck-mounted sprayers are all LARVICIDE equipment. Adulticide uses foggers and ULV machines.

EC use case: "Day work for parks and greens." Emulsifiable concentrate is for areas you can't treat in the evening — parks, golf courses — not "when short-term residual is desired."