Seasonal prevalence and resting behaviour of malaria vectors in Koraput district, Orissa

Abstract

Among the seven vector species studied A. fluviatilis, A. jeyporiensis and A. maculatus were exophilic whereas A. aconitus, A. annularis, A. culicifacies and A. varuna were endophilic. All the species collected indoors preferred cattlesheds to human dwellings for daytime resting and 71.3% of the total indoor collection was obtained from cattlesheds. Among the outdoor shelters pit shelters were found to be most attractive for all anophelines resting outdoors. In human dwellings anophelines generally preferred to rest on walls during winter and summer but on ceilings during the rainy season. While A. culicifacies has two peaks in density, during June-July and March all the other species had only one peak. There was a general decline in the density of vectors observed earlier in this area.