Which is an example of cultural control for mosquitoes?

• A. Filling in the low-lying areas with dirt.
• B. Placing Gambusia minnows in the base pond.
• C. Spraying the base with low doses of malathion.
• D. Depositing larvacide in the stagnant water areas.

Answer: (A)

Cultural control focuses on altering the environment to reduce mosquito breeding sites. Filling in low-lying areas with dirt removes standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs, directly cutting the habitat available for larval development. The other approaches rely on killing the mosquitoes or their larvae rather than changing the environment: introducing Gambusia minnows is a biological method using predators; spraying with malathion is chemical control; and applying larvicides targets larvae but is still an active chemical/biological treatment rather than environmental modification. So, reducing or eliminating breeding habitat exemplifies cultural control.