[Insecticide resistance and irritability of Culex pipiens in Moscow].

Resistance and irritability to permethrin, deltamethrin, bendiocarb, propoxur, fenitrothion, malathion, dieldrin and DDT (WHO standard papers) were determined in Culex pipiens collected in the basements of big houses in the centre of Moscow. Mosquitos were found to be moderately resistant to fenitrothion (87% mortality), DDT (83%) and propoxur (80%), and susceptible to the remaining insecticides. The irritability was low to dieldrin but moderate to permethrin, propoxur and DDT, and high to the rest. The irritability to bendiocarb seems to be really caused by the repellent action of citric acid which the WHO standard paper is impregnated with. It is recommended to use pyrethroids against mosquito larvae and pyrethroid brickets against adults.