Monthly assessment of the relative abundance and development of immature stages of Culex mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of the selected breeding habitats in Niger, Nigeria

Abstract The study was conducted in gutter, swamps, and large water bodies and Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae were sampled weekly from May to November 2019. Three Culex vectors identified in the areas namely, Culex quinquefasciatus, Cx. nigripalpus and Cx. salinarius. Habitats-wised showed large water habitats had the abundance of Culex followed by gutters and swamps. Based on the monthly abundance rate, the peak abundance of the immature stages was June and July and declined in November in both habitats. While the age survival rate differed significantly from one another across the months in all the habitat types. On the age distribution within the habitat types, L4 was the highest, in gutters, while in swamps, and large water habitats, L1 larvae were the most abundant, respectively. While between the habitats, gutters had a significantly higher abundance of L1, L2, L3, and L4, while swamp and larger water habitats were insignificant (p > 0.05) from one another for L1 and L4 except for the L3 immature stage that was differentiated with larger water being the most abundant. The findings imply that anthropogenic changes to the ecosystem are causing a severe hazard of Culex-Borne Diseases to public health in Niger State.