Table 3 Knowledge and perceptions of community members about swarming mosquitoes
Variables assessed | Category | Percentage (N) |
|---|---|---|
Whether participants had ever seen a mosquito swarm (n = 307) | Yes (Ever seen a swarm) | 74.9 (230) |
No (Never seen a swarm) | 25.1 (77) | |
Time of day when swarms were seen (n = 230) | Early morning hours | 14.3 (33) |
During the day | 7.8 (18) | |
Around sunset hours | 59.6 (137) | |
During night hours | 26.1 (60) | |
Places where swarms had been seen (n = 230) | On top of houses and toilets | 41.3 (95) |
Over rice fields, long grass and bushes | 29.6 (68) | |
Over water ponds | 13.9 (32) | |
Near light bulbs | 4.8 (11) | |
Over people’s heads | 7.8 (18) | |
Inside human houses & toilets | 2.6 (6) | |
Whether people knew reasons mosquitoes swarm (n = 307) | Know | 20.2 (62) |
Do not know | 79.8 (245) | |
What participants thought were reasons mosquitoes swarm (n = 62) | Planning an attack on humans | 33.9 (21) |
Looking for food or water | 32.2 (20) | |
Playing or resting | 21.0 (13) | |
Mating | 12.9 (8) | |
Effects of swarming mosquitoes (n = 187) | Transmit malaria and other diseases | 67.9 (127) |
Nuisance biting/get into eyes | 25.7 (48) | |
Reproducing and increasing in number | 6.4 (12) |