Introduction:

Identification of the mosquito species present in each municipality is part of the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Surveillance and Control Program currently in place in Cuba.

Objective:

Identify the mosquito species in artificial and natural breeding sites and relate that information to the role played by the community in the control of their populations in the province of Havana.

Methods:

Identification was performed of mosquito larval samples submitted to the Provincial Entomology Laboratory and collected from artificial containers and natural breeding sites in Havana municipalities from January 2000 to 2016.

Results:

A total 48 mosquito species were identified in the study. Aedes aegypti, Gymnometopa mediovittata, Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex nigripalpus were found to be present in all Havana municipalities. Unused containers scattered around households and in uncultivated fields, such as cans, troughs, scrap metal and used car tires, among other items related to human activities, contribute the greatest species richness to the urban ecosystem, followed by tree holes and natural breeding sites. Artificial water storage containers in households, such as elevated and underground water tanks and buckets, among others, contributed lesser richness, but were fundamental for the presence of A. aegypti.

Conclusions:

Updated data about the distribution of mosquito species and their breeding sites in Havana is valuable information to foster community participation in their elimination in the event of epidemics involving these vectors.

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