Effects of field and laboratory larval inhabited water physical chemicals and background colour on oviposition site selection by gravid female anopheline mosquitoes in Lusaka province.
type: CreativeWork
description: Knowledge of factors that regulate oviposition site selection by gravid anopheline mosquitoes is still limited and yet it is of great importance in the quest to develop alternative malaria vector control methods. In order to contribute to data and knowledge on the subject, this study characterised and determined the effects of water physical chemicals including pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, larval pre-inhabited water and five different background colours on oviposition site selection behaviour by gravid anopheline mosquitoes. The study was conducted in three districts of Lusaka province, between July 2018 and February 2023. Potential anopheline oviposition sites were sampled by scooping in water at the sites using a 350mls dipper. The anopheline oviposition sites were confirmed by the presence of anopheline larvae which were identified by their parallel water surface resting positions. Larval density was determined as mean larval counts in scoops using the dipper. Portable water testers were used to record temperature, pH, turbidity and conductivity in the field. Late instar mosquito larvae were kept in breeding containers until adults emerged from them later for mosquito identification using both morphological and molecular techniques. Field oviposition water in 1 litre capacity containers was placed in an insulated cooler box which was transported to the laboratory to determine its efficacy in influencing oviposition behaviour in gravid Anopheles gambiae s.s. KISUMU mosquitoes. Effects of larval pre-inhabited water on oviposition site selection was determined by presenting 30mls of the treatment water in 36mls capacity oviposition cups to groups of 30 gravid Anopheles gambiae s.s., KISUMU mosquitoes in 30 x 30 x 30 cm cages. The effect of water background colour on oviposition site selection, on the other hand was tested by presenting 30mls of water in five differently coloured oviposition cups to groups of 30 gravid mosquitoes in 30 x 30 x 30 cm mosqu…
abstract: Knowledge of factors that regulate oviposition site selection by gravid anopheline mosquitoes is still limited and yet it is of great importance in the quest to develop alternative malaria vector control methods. In order to contribute to data and knowledge on the subject, this study characterised and determined the effects of water physical chemicals including pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, larval pre-inhabited water and five different background colours on oviposition site selection behaviour by gravid anopheline mosquitoes. The study was conducted in three districts of Lusaka province, between July 2018 and February 2023. Potential anopheline oviposition sites were sampled by scooping in water at the sites using a 350mls dipper. The anopheline oviposition sites were confirmed by the presence of anopheline larvae which were identified by their parallel water surface resting positions. Larval density was determined as mean larval counts in scoops using the dipper. Portable water testers were used to record temperature, pH, turbidity and conductivity in the field. Late instar mosquito larvae were kept in breeding containers until adults emerged from them later for mosquito identification using both morphological and molecular techniques. Field oviposition water in 1 litre capacity containers was placed in an insulated cooler box which was transported to the laboratory to determine its efficacy in influencing oviposition behaviour in gravid Anopheles gambiae s.s. KISUMU mosquitoes. Effects of larval pre-inhabited water on oviposition site selection was determined by presenting 30mls of the treatment water in 36mls capacity oviposition cups to groups of 30 gravid Anopheles gambiae s.s., KISUMU mosquitoes in 30 x 30 x 30 cm cages. The effect of water background colour on oviposition site selection, on the other hand was tested by presenting 30mls of water in five differently coloured oviposition cups to groups of 30 gravid mosquitoes in 30 x 30 x 30 cm mosqu…
author: Phiri, James Simoko
language: en
date published: 2024
date modified: 2026-07-27T22:06:47Z
provider: University of Zimbabwe
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Zambia