MOSQUITO SURVEY THROUGH LARVAL SAMPLING AND OVITRAPPING IN PARTS OF ASABA, DELTA STATE, SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA.

A survey of the mosquito fauna of Asaba, the Delta State capital of Southwestern Nigeria was undertaken between January and March 2009. The mosquito breeding sites, distribution, abundance and the influence of ecological factors on the mosquito population were determined. Asaba metropolis was subdivided into five zones based on population and human activities. Ovitraps were used to sample the Aedes mosquito populations. Larvae were collected once weekly using ladles, bowls, sieves and specimen bottles. Ecological sites studied were drains ground
pools, discard vehicle tyres, domes tic containers, tree holes and leaf axils. A total of 7,337 mosquitoes comprised of two mosquito genera (Aedes and culex) and three mosquito species, Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and culex
quinquetasciatus were collected, C. quinquefasciatus 6,431(87.7%) formed the bulk of the collection of the 7,337 larvae, drains yielded 6,202 (84.53%) of the collection. out of 960 ovitraps set, 291 (31.1%) were positive with aedes eggs that yielded 1,553 larvae from which 780 (72.4%) emerged as adults. Two aedes species A. aegypti 450 (57.7%) and A. albopictus 330 (42.3%) were collected from the ovitraps. Both larvae and eggs collected increased or decreased with increase in rainfall. The health implications of high breeding rates of mosquitoes in the drains and domestic water containers were discussed and recommendation for mosquito control, health education and maintenance of clean drains were made.

BY OBI SADIATU SALLY, DEPARTMENT OF PARASITOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY, FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA.