Vol. 7, Issue 4, Part A (2020)

Author(s): Ekedo Chukwuebuka Mathias, Okore Oghale O’woma, Uzoma Victor Chidiebere and Okoro Peter Igwe

Abstract: This study was carried out to identify and characterize the various larval breeding habitats utilized by mosquitoes in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Abia state, Nigeria. Mosquito larvae were collected from different points within the study area from June to December. Different habitats were examined randomly in the area and information on habitat characterization was recorded. Mosquito mean larval density was expressed as larvae per habitat for all the habitat types. All larvae specimens were identified morphologically and about 61.2% (41) out of (67) breeding sites were found positive for different mosquito species larvae. A total of five (5) different habitat types were mapped out for the study which were grouped into open ground pool (36.6%), containers and tyres (26.8%), tyre tracks (24.4%), gutters (12.2%), and swampy/marshy pool (0%). A total of one thousand, three hundred and eight (1308) mosquito larvae and one hundred and sixty nine pupae were collected comprising of three genera of which n= 828(63.3%), n= 185(14.1%), n=295(22.6%) were Anopheles, Aedes and Culex mosquito species, respectively. Habitat type H1 (open ground pool) had the highest number of habitats containing larvae n=15 (36.6%) while Anopheles had the highest number of species present of all the larvae sampled. Breeding pattern in the different habitats varied, some bred alone while some bred in sympathry with other species. Those that bred alone in H1 were over 50% of all the larvae that were collected in H1 habitat type. Habitat type H3 had the highest number of species that bred in sympathry. Habitats that did not contain any larvae made up (38.8%) of all the habitats examined. From the results of this study there is great need for concerted efforts in the destruction of the different mosquito larval habitats as this will greatly control their breeding in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, as failure to do this leaves Umudike at risk of high malaria burden, considering the fact that Anopeheles was the most Abundant genus.