Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of mosquitoes and their diseases through a combination of techniques such as existing biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices and continuous educational programs, in association with chemical management options.
Ecologically Sound Mosquito Management in Wetlands and Urban Drainage project aims to identify the best approach to balancing the objectives of improving water quality, enhancing environmental health, reducing the emergence of adult mosquitos and the protection of human health.




Current mosquito management techniques are heavily weighted to the use of pesticides as a management option. While we recognise the role of chemical control we also recognise its limitations. Chemical control only provides a short term treatment option. This option does not treat the cause of the issue, just the symptoms. It is internationally recognised that mosquitoes, as with many rapid breeding species, can over time adapt to the chemicals being used.
Research shows that when we have natural predators for mosquito larvae in our waterways and wetlands, mosquito numbers are able to be managed. Poor water quality plus chemicals severely reduce many of these natural predators. A component of an IMM is recognising the need to reduce our reliance on chemicals with scientific investigation and trials throughout the world being undertaken to address this.

Mozzie Wise Education Program
An informed public will help mosquito control officers minimise breeding sites in residential areas, help reduce misinformation and minimise unreasonable demands for chemical application.
Public education is a key component of a successful integrated mosquito management program. When people know where to look, they can identify and eliminate potential mosquito breeding habitats around their homes and neighbourhood. Mozzie Wise education will help improve human health by reducing the exposure of mosquito transmitted disease and environmental health by reducing the demand for chemical control of mosquitoes.
Mozzie Wise Program Aims
The Mozzie Wise educational program runs throughout WA and aims to increase children’s knowledge and understanding of mosquitoes and reduce mosquito disease risk among children, provide information, advice and educational material for local communities to increase their knowledge and understanding of mosquitoes, provide information regarding the Health Department’s and the local government’s role in mosquito management and enhance public interest, awareness and support for the control of mosquitoes and to reduce mosquito-breeding areas in their suburbs.
Be Mozzie Wise
in your Community, workplace and schools
Through SERCUL’s Being Mozzie Wise program we can offer School incursions, Teacher learning workshops, Local Government information sessions and Community Awareness forums. It can also be used by Local Government to educate ratepayers about the importance of being Mozzie Wise.
We have a wide range of resources including posters, brochures, checklists and worksheets. As part of the program we developed a curriculum linked Teachers Guide to Mosquito Education which can be purchased and used in the classroom.
The Mosquito Basics

Diptera: Flies
Culicidae: Mosquitoes
3,000+ species worldwide
275+ species in Australia
90+ species in WA
20~ vector species in WA
Habitat – Fresh, saline or brackish water
Main Food – Nectar and plant juices
Mosquitoes Role in the Environment:
- Food source for animals – they are a central component of the food web that supports a rich wildlife community. They are a food source for bats, turtles, fish, frogs, wader birds, spiders and many macroinvertebrates
- Effective filter feeders cleaning the waterways and tolerate polluted water ways in urban areas
- Pollinators of plants
- Nuisance pests and vectors – spread pathogens to humans and animals
Only female mosquitoes bite humans or animals to obtain their blood meal to produce their eggs.
Mosquito-borne Diseases
Native viruses
- Ross River virus (RRV)
- Barmah Forest virus (BFV)
- Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE)
- Kunjin virus There is currently no vaccine or specific medicine for these viruses. It is very important to prevent mosquito bites if you want to avoid getting a mosquito-borne disease.
- Mosquitoes can also carry a parasite called ‘heartworm’ that infects dogs
Exotic viruses
- Dengue
- Malaria
- Japanese Encephalitis
- Chikungunya
- Zika virus
Common Mosquitoes of Perth

Aedes notoscriptus

Aedes vigilax

Culex annulirostris

Culex quinquefasciatus