COLOUR AFFINITY TO MOSQUITO OVIPOSITION IN THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, NASARAYVA STATE UNIVERSITY, KEFFI

A study on colour affinity was carried out in artificial container colours under field conditions. A total of eight different container colours of 2L plastic containers were .used as artificial mosquito composition containers. These were filled with equal quantity of water and placed in the botanical garden, Department of Biological Sciences, Nasarawa Stare University Kelli. The containers were observed every day for mosquito larvae. The mosquito larvae were collected and identified. A total of 463 larvae belonging to three genera, A cries, Culcx and Anoplji'lcs wax identified. The highest occurring genus was Acdcs with 252 (54.4%) larvae, followcdby Culcx 1,67 (36.1%) larvae and Anopheles with 44 (9,5%) larvae. The* colour affinity of mosquito oviposition was in this order: Black 117 (25.3%), Purple 81 (17.5%), Brown 65 (14.0%), Red 59 (12.7%), Blue 51 (11.0%), Green 40 (8.6%), Yellow 30 (6.5%) and white 20 (4.3%). The species occurrence with respect to container colours differ significantly ( P< 0.05) and the species occurrence with respect to months also differed significantly (P<0.05). The result of this study indicates that colours play great role in mosquito abundance in environment.^Therefore, the avoidance of indiscriminate disposal of artificial coloured containers in our communities should be encouraged.