Abstract
Entomological survey was carried out to record dengue vectors during pre- and post-monsoon seasons in 2012 from different breeding places in residential and forested areas of different altitudes of the Nilgiris, namely, Mettupalayam (330 mts), Kallar (400 mts), Burliar (900 mts), Marapalam (1050 mts), and Coonoor (1800 mts). Results showed that maximum number of dengue vector breeding was recorded at Mettupalayam during pre-monsoon season followed by Kallar, Burliar, Coonoor, and Marapalam. The post-monsoon season survey also revealed that the maximum number of dengue vector breeding was found at Mettupalayam, followed by Burliar, Coonoor, and Kallar, and Aedes immature was not found in Marapalam. Ae. aegypti species was recorded in all the study areas during pre- and post-monsoon seasons. Whereas Ae. albopictus was recorded only at Mettupalayam, Kallar, and Burliar during pre- and post-monsoon seasons. Besides these two dengue vectors, a nonvector species Ae. vittatus (n=9) was also recorded at Kallar and Burliar.
Highlights
Studies on taxonomy, biology, distribution, and ecology of haematophagous arthropods are of public importance
The Nilgiri hills located in Tamil Nadu of south India are highly diverse in terms of ecology and culture
A total of 100 houses/places were surveyed from each study site and the larval density was expressed as house index (HI), container index (CI), and breteau index
Summary
Biology, distribution, and ecology of haematophagous arthropods are of public importance. Rahman et al [6] had done an intensive survey and reported the presence of 52 mosquito species in the Nilgiris. Balakrishnan et al [5] reported the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Nilgiris and its adjoining areas with special reference to dengue fever survey. In view of uncertainty of the present remedial measures, a thorough study of humanenvironmental interrelation, climate wise distribution, and changing pattern of occupancy according to various altitudinal variances have to be studied with utmost priority before deciding control programs against mosquitoes in this ecologically fragile environment of the Nilgiris. Keeping in view of these, the present study was aimed to understand the distribution and seasonal abundance (pre- and post-monsoons) and to identify the active breeding sites of dengue vectors in these higher altitude areas
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