International Journal of Entomology Research

Authors
Eze, Nwadiuto Chinwe, Ebuka Kingsley Ezihe, Chukwu Maryrose Chidimma

Abstract
This survey was carried out to determine the larval distribution, abundance and their habitat in Obio-Akpor local government of Rivers State. Larval sampling was carried out weekly in the four communities selected in Obio-Akpor local government for three months both in natural and man-made habitats. For standardization, ten dips were collected during sampling in natural habitats using the dipper while hand pippetes and laddles were used for sampling in man-made containers. The larvae collected were raised to the fourth and pupated with each mosquito cage containing a single collection from a particular type of breeding sites. A total of 1180 larvae were collected in the study. The abundance and distribution of mosquito larvae across the study period showed October had the highest number of larvae (n= 690) followed by September (n=305) while November had the least (n= 185) and was statistically significant difference in mean amount of larvae in the months (P>0.01). Across location, Choba (134.3±33.0) had the highest mean abundance of larvae followed by Rumuokoro (91.3±39.01), Alakahia (90±32.10), and Ozuoba (77.7±22.8) had the least and it was not statistically significant difference (P>0.773). Mosquito species identified included four species of Anopheles: An. gambiae s.1, An.funestus, An. coustani and An. nili; three species of Culex: Cx. quinquifasciatus, Cx. poicilipes and Cx. tigripes and three species of Aedes: Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus and Ae. africanus. An. gambiae sl was the most abundant (17%) and dispersed in all the sampling sites followed by Cx. quinquinfasciatus (15%). The finding that mosquito species breeds in natural and man-made containers give concern and calls for urgent larval control. Proper health education and awareness on environmental management is necessary to discourage people from creating breeding sites.