Optimising deep scraping of wooden tongue depressor substrates maximises Aedes albopictus egg detection in ovitrap surveillance: Implications for vector control and public health1

Abstract

The present research was conducted at Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary in Churu, Rajasthan, from January 2022 to November 2023. Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Thar desert region of Rajasthan. The present study reported 19 species of Hemiptera and Orthoptera at the study site, of which 10 species were identified from Hemiptera, while 9 species were identified from Orthoptera. Within the order Hemiptera, the family Pentatomidae recorded the majority of species, and within the Orthoptera, the family Acrididae exhibited the highest diversity. Margalef’s Index indicated the highest species richness within Hemiptera for the family Cydnidae at 1.75, while in Orthoptera, the family Pyrgomorphidae exhibited the greatest richness with a value of 1.78. Within Hemiptera, the family Dinidoridae exhibited the highest Pielou’s Evenness Index at 0.88, signifying a relatively uniform species distribution. In Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae showed the greatest evenness with a value of 0.90. The Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index reached 1.95 for Dinidoridae in Hemiptera and 1.97 for Tettigoniidae in Orthoptera, highlighting the high species diversity and evenness within both families