Ecological and Taxonomic Insights into Mosquito Fauna of Subtropical Agro-Regions

Usama Arshad; Ayesha Arshad; Asad Sultan; Ayesha Arbab

Ecological and Taxonomic Insights into Mosquito Fauna of Subtropical Agro-Regions

Authors

Usama Arshad Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Ayesha Arshad Department of Pharmacy, Women's University Multan, Pakistan.
Asad Sultan Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan,
Ayesha Arbab Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Keywords:

Culicidae, , Mosquito fauna, , Vector surveillance, , Taxonomic identification, , Aedes, Anopheles, , Vehari

Abstract

They have medical significance because they spread illnesses such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and filariasis. This study focused on understanding where the mosquito species present in Vehari are found and which species they are during the months when mosquitoes are most active in the region. Entomological surveys were conducted in both urban and rural habitats in both towns and rural areas, including in fields, water systems and homes and used various tools such as hand aspirators, sweep nets and CDC light traps. According to their appearance and with the help of recognized taxonomic keys, several working groups found 4 genera—Anopheles, Culex, Aedes, Armigeres and Mansonia—and 11 species of mosquitoes altogether. In urban parts of the country, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus were present in the greatest numbers, and in the irrigated agricultural areas, Anopheles stephensi and Culex tritaeniorhynchus could be seen more often. Fewer species were found during the spring and fall, with the largest numbers found in the monsoon months of July, August and September. This research gives us the first full inventory of mosquitoes in Vehari and points out that continuous surveillance aids in support of IVM.

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Ecological and Taxonomic Insights into Mosquito Fauna of Subtropical Agro-Regions