Breeding patterns of Aedes stegomyia albopictus in periurban areas of Calicut, Kerala, India.

Aedes albopictus has been shown to be a vector for diseases which have been on the increase, such as dengue fever and chikungunya infection. We conducted a study of 100 homes from 2006-2009 to determine the breeding sites for Ae. albopictus mosquitoes in Calicut, Kerala, India. We found the larvae of Ae. albopictus mosquitoes most often in coconut shells and plastic waste, followed by tires, flower pots, glass products, egg shells and dumped grinding stones. Ae. albopictus control programs in Calicut, Kerala, India should target these objects as part of a control program.