Larvicidal efficacy of Ficus benghalensis L. plant leaf extracts against Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Aedes aegypti L. and Anopheles stephensi L. (Diptera: Culicidae).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the larvicidal efficacy of different extracts of Ficus benghalensis L. against Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Aedes aegypti L. and Anopheles stephensi L. (Diptera: Culicidae).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Larvicidal efficacy of the crude leaf extracts of Ficus benghalensis with three different solvents like methanol, benzene and acetone was tested against the early second, third, fourth instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi.

RESULTS: The larval mortality was observed after 24 h of treatment. Among the three solvents the maximum efficacy was observed in methanol. The letal concentration (LC50) values of Ficus benghalensis against early second, third and fourth larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes Aegypti and Anopheles stephensi were 41.43, 58.21 and 74.32 ppm, 56.54, 70.29 and 80.85 ppm and 60.44, 76.41 and 89.55 ppm respectively. No mortality was observed in controls. The chi-square value were significant at p < 0.05 level.

CONCLUSION: The methanol extract of F. benghalensis showed good larvicidal activity against three vector mosquitoes.