The workshop was conducted by Dr Ishwara Prasad K S, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, IDSG Government College, Chikkamagaluru, who served as the resource person. The programme was coordinated by Aaron Johan D’Souza, Student Coordinator, under the guidance of Dr Rachana L Alva, Head of the Department of Zoology and Dr Rajesh T. P, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology.
The resource person introduced the students to the basic taxonomy of mosquitoes and highlighted the important morphological characters used for their identification. The session focused on observable features such as the body, wings, legs, antennae, proboscis, scales and other diagnostic characteristics. Students were familiarised with the distinguishing features of different mosquito groups and were guided on how these characters can be used for accurate identification.
The theoretical session was followed by a field-based practical activity, where the students were taken to different field locations for direct observation and identification of mosquitoes. As part of the practical component, students also explored suitable water bodies and mosquito breeding habitats in the field. Mosquito larvae were collected from water-holding habitats and subsequently examined and identified. The activity enabled students to understand the importance of larval morphology in mosquito identification and to recognise potential mosquito breeding sites in the environment.
During the field visit, the students successfully identified five mosquito species. The identification exercise included mosquitoes belonging to Culex, Anopheles, Armigeres subalbatus and Stegomyia albopicta. The field activity helped students understand the variations in morphological features among different mosquito groups and strengthened their practical taxonomic skills.
The “Know Your Mosquitoes” workshop was an enriching academic and practical learning experience for the students of the Department of Zoology. The combination of a theoretical introduction, hands-on morphological identification, field observation and larval collection provided students with a comprehensive understanding of mosquito taxonomy.
