Population patterns of Anopheles albimanus and their significance to malaria abatement.

Data obtained between 1967 and 1972 on naturally occurring populations of A. albimanus in El Salvador were used to construct 24-hour and seasonal patterns of activity for the species. The resulting patterns are discussed in terms of control implications, and specific examples are given to relate the importance of a knowledge of population dynamics to the success of conventional and alternative methods of anopheline control in malaria abatement programmes. A retrospective view of a successful feasibility study of the sterile-male release technique illustrates the importance of population studies in the selection of release sites, the formulation of release schedules, and the selection of survey methodology for the evaluation of results.