Bionomics of Anopheles culicifacies giles in riverine tract rural areas of district Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh

Studies on seasonal prevalence, resting behaviour, gonotropic conditions and breeding habits of Anopheles culicifacies were carried out from January 1987 to December 1989 in riverine villages of Dadraul PHC in Shahjahanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. Man hour densities of An. culicifacies varied from 11.3 to 125.1 during the study period. The species showed two peaks of high prevalence: one during March to June and the other during October to December. The first peak was higher than the second. The collection revealed a higher proportion of freshly fed to semi-gravid females thus indicating the outdoor resting behaviour of the species. From the immatures collected from riverbed pools, 7 anopheline species were identified. Of the 955 specimens identified, An. culicifacies constituted the highest number (62.1%). The study indicates that low rainfall and drought did not affect An. culicifacies densities or malaria transmission in riverine areas.