Student Research Reports

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This study investigated (1) how faith-based communities (Buddhist and muslim communities) affect the key breeding sites of mosquito larvae at Samui Island, southern Thailand and (2) comparing the number of containers from drone imageries with conventional ground survey. We examined how the number of Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Culex and Anopheles larvae differed in various types of water containers. Water containers were categorised into the following groups: indoor/outdoor containers, artificial/natural containers, earthen/plastic containers, and containers with/without lids. Samples were collected from a total of 100 households from 50 buddhist and 50 muslim houses using GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper App. Our results showed that Aedes larvae were found in 57 out of 197 water containers in buddhist and muslim houses. Aedes females laid eggs in different container types depending on faith based communities. Aedes larvae were found in highest numbers in plastic buckets in both communities. The number of positive containers was higher in outdoor containers than indoor containers, artificial containers than natural containers, plastic containers than earthen containers, container without lid than container with lid, and muslim community than Buddhist community. Our results showed that conventional ground survey using MHM App gave higher numbers of containers in both communities (Drone:Ground survey at Plailaem Buddhist community = 22:77; at Hua Thanon Muslim community = 37:80). Keywords: Water containers, Aedes species, water qualities, mosquito larval index, drone image