Which practice directly reduces mosquito breeding sites in vector control programs?

• A. Environmental controls and larval source management
• B. Increase standing water to attract mosquitoes
• C. Remove standing water and perform larval source management
• D. Rely solely on vaccination

Answer: (C)

Directly reducing mosquito breeding sites means taking away the places where they lay eggs and their larvae develop. Removing standing water eliminates the essential habitat these immature mosquitoes need, so they can’t complete their life cycle. Larval source management expands on that by actively finding and addressing every potential breeding site—draining and disposing of standing water, covering water storage, fixing leaks, clearing clogged gutters, improving drainage, and removing containers that collect water. This source-reduction approach targets mosquitoes at the earliest stage, cutting the population before adults emerge. Relying on vaccination doesn’t impact mosquito larvae, and increasing water creates more breeding sites, so those options don’t achieve the goal.