Role of modified CDC miniature light-traps as an alternative method for sampling adult anophelines (Diptera: Culicidae) in the National Mosquito Surveillance Programme in India

Abstract

The efficiency of modified CDC miniature light-traps for sampling adult mosquitoes was evaluated in comparison with indoor resting, outdoor resting, indoor man-landing and outdoor man-landing collections in the hilly district of Koraput, Orissa, India. Overall, light-traps captured 78% of adult mosquitoes collected by all methods. Of the 16 anopheline species recorded in the study area, light-traps effectively sampled 13, contributing about 72% of the total anophelines collected by all methods. Light-traps also caught a large number of female Culex vishnui Theobald (96%). As fully-fed mosquitoes were predominant (82%) and caught alive, light-traps can be used to catch large numbers of vector mosquitoes for studies on vector prevalence, distribution, vector incrimination and also for laboratory bioassays. Light-trap and indoor resting collections revealed similar seasonal trends in numbers of Anopheles culicifacies Giles, A. fluviatilis James, A. jeyporiensis James, A. vagus Doenitz, and A. splendidus Koidzumi. Age-structure of the samples did not vary significantly between the two methods. Light-traps could be used as an alternative to daytime indoor resting collections to monitor the seasonal fluctuations in the abundance and parity rates of these species. The light-trap collections correlated with indoor and outdoor man-landing collections of A. jeyporiensis and the outdoor man-landing collections of A. maculatusTheobald in measuring seasonal trends. Light-trap collections can thus be used as a substitute for man-landing collections of A. jeyporiensis and A. maculatus.