Introduction: Aedes mosquitoes, notorious for transmitting diseases like dengue, chikungunya, Zika and Yellow fever thrive in urban environmental setups. It is crucial to understand the breeding habitats in the South Delhi area for effective mosquito control and preventive measures.
Method: The objective of the study was to conduct surveys to determine the abundance, distribution, and type of containers at South Zone, Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The study sites were selected on the basis of the maximum number of dengue cases reported by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and a door-to-door entomological survey was carried out from January to December 2023. All kinds of breeding habitats were searched for the presence of immature stages of Aedes mosquitoes.
Results: Aedes mosquitoes prefer laying their eggs in stagnant water storage containers like plastic containers, overhead tanks, desert coolers, discarded tyres, bird pots, metallic waste containers, flower pots etc. Breading indices were found low in January, February, and March and they peaked in the months of July, August, and September and decreased continually in September, October and December during 2023.
Conclusion: Regular water supply should be provided to the people and all containers should be covered properly, which will help in the prevention of breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.