What is the primary method of controlling mosquito larvae in standing water?

The primary method of controlling mosquito larvae in standing water is larviciding. This approach involves the application of chemical agents specifically designed to target mosquito larvae before they develop into adult mosquitoes. Larvicides work effectively because they interrupt the growth and development of the larvae, preventing them from maturing into the biting adult stage, which is responsible for disease transmission and nuisance behavior.

Larviciding is especially advantageous in managing mosquito populations because it requires treating the water bodies where mosquitoes breed, ensuring that the core problem—larval development—is addressed. In contrast, adulticiding targets adult mosquitoes and is typically more reactive, meant to reduce the population of adult mosquitoes already present, rather than prevent new ones from emerging.

Trapping serves a different purpose by capturing adult mosquitoes, which does not directly affect larval populations in water. Habitat destruction may also reduce mosquito breeding sites but is often not a feasible or environmentally sustainable strategy. Thus, larviciding is the most direct and effective way to control mosquito larvae in standing water, making it the correct choice.