Notes on Culicine Mosquitos in Tanganyika Territory

Abstract

The examination of mosquito larvae collected by house searchers on Stegomyia control measures in Dar-es-Salaam, the largest town in Tanganyika, shows that Aëdes aegypti is definitely the predominant domestic breeder there. The other species of the genus Aëdes encountered are listed with their frequencies.Similarly the examination of larvae found in tree-holes in Dar-es-Salaam shows that Aëdes aegypti, A. simpsoni and A. metallicus are regularly encountered.A system of obtaining an index of the population density of both A. aegypti and A. simpsoni, unconnected with the actual process of Stegomyia control measures, is described. This would be applicable to smaller towns, rural districts, and towns in high rainfall areas where A. aegypti is not the only danger as a yellow fever vector, and where extra-domestic breeding is important. The system is based on the exposure of a fixed number of bamboo pots containing water for a constant period of days, to attract egg-laying female mosquitos. Species of mosquitos and their frequencies obtained in a series of trials are given.