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JOURNAL OF MOSQUITO RESEARCH
83
The mean annual temperature was 28
℃
with an
annual relative humidity averaging between 80% to
90% (Coulibaly et al., 2010). The adult female could
lay upto 300~400 eggs during her life time
(Matre-Pierre, 2006). The eggs of Aedes are
desiccation resistant; this factor is of great
entomological consideration because even during the
dry season the eggs remain viable.
Aedes
species is
very much susceptible to the climatic factors and
seasonal variation. Some models and analysis had
been represented to show the global scale association
between climatic factors and development, potential
distribution and population dynamics of
Aedes
mosquitoes (Hopp et al., 2001).
Culex quinquefasciatus
is a major vector of lymphatic
filariasis in Pakistan as well as in India (Jahan and
Hussain, 2011). High population explosion of this
species in Lahore District has become a severe biting
nuisance primarily in summer months (Tahir et al.,
2009). Weather pattern affects the adult female
mosquito abundance by changing the quality and
quantity of larval habits. The relationship between
climatic variables and mosquito abundance can
provide important information to determine virus
activity levels and therefore disease risks (Wegbreit
and Reisen, 2000). The
Culex quinquefasciatus
peaked during the winter months and in spring. Its egg
rafts were found in a woody area. The population
increased during March due to availability of
favourable breeding sites containing stagnant water
polluted with decayed organic matter. The species is
most common in paddy fields and is related to the rice
cultivation in India (Kanojia et al., 2003). Ovitraps
were used in the summers of 2002 and 2003 to
measure the oviposition activity of
Culex
mosquito.
Oviposition pattern was similar in both years. It was
highest in late June and the middle of July showed a
steady decline throughout the remainder of each
season (Jackson, 2004). An increase was observed in
the population dynamics of all the mosquito species in
the July-September period (Aldemir, 2004).
Environmental temperature can also affect the ability
of mosquitoes to transmit West Nile Virus (WNV) and
an arbovirus (Dohm et al., 2002). For all the species
of
Culex
population increased earlier and declined
later in drier, warmer, Southern regions in
California, these patterns may be driven by
temperature (Barker et al., 2010).
Anopheles stephensi
is the major cause of transmitting
malaria not only in the Indian subcontinent but also in
Iran and in Middle East. Pakistan is facing the burden
of about 1.6 million malarial cases annually.
Anopheles stephensi
transmits the plasmidium as an
urban vector (The NEWS, 2012).
Anopheles stephensi
has increased in prevalence and became more
common. This shift in species dominance may be due
to the large-scale ecological changes that have taken
place in the Punjab, where irrigation-induced
waterlogging of soil with related salinization has
created an environment favourable for the more
salt-tolerant
A. stephensi
(Klinkenberg et al., 2004). A
study was carried out from 1 April 1999 to 31 March
2000 in Lahore, Pakistan. Mosquitoes were collected
from bedrooms using the pyrethroid spraycatch
method and from vegetation and animal sheds using
backpack aspirators
An. subpictus
populations peaked
in August, September and October. High temperatures
and low rainfall negatively affected seasonal
abundance in our area. Our observations indicate that,
in South Punjab, irrigation-related sites support the
breeding of
Anopheline
mosquitoes, including the
vectors of malaria (Herrel et al., 2004).
Present study was conducted out to: Identify all the
species of mosquitoes found at the LCWU, Lahore
campus; Locate the breeding sites for the mosquitoes
in the university; Determine their population
dynamics in different seasons; Co-relate their growth
rate with the seasonal temperature.
Investigate the seasonal peaks for the growth of
mosquitoes so that preventive measures could be adopted.
1 Results
Monthly Table of Mean values of Mosquitoes (Table 1~3).
Table 1 Monthly reading per trap
Month
Aedes
sp
Culex
sp.
Anopheles
spp.
Oct. 2011
17
36
19
Nov. 2011
11
14
17
Dec. 2011
0
0
0
Jan. 2012
0
0
0
Feb. 2012
62
76
56
Mar. 2012
80
72
0
Apr. 2012
81
84
0
May 2012
78
73
0
Journal of Mosquito Research