The objective of the study was to determine the species composition of mosquitoes and their associated insects and fungi inhabiting drain water in different agricultural areas of Assiut governorate, Egypt. During 72 inspection visits and 164 examinations of drain water pools in seven areas of Assiut governorate, results indicated the presence of six identified mosquito species. Culex pipiens is considered the most frequent mosquito species with the highest Incidence Area Weight value IAW21. All six identified mosquito species were encountered in El-Badary area with an Incidence Species Weight ISW value of 14.
Nine insect species belonging to five orders were recorded. Pantala flavescens (Odonata: Libellulidae) is considered the most frequently associated insect species in all areas. Incidence Area Weight IAW for each identified species indicated that P. flavescens had the maximum value of IAW 14. Also, the maximum value of Incidence Species Weight was ISW 22 in El-Badary area.
Twenty-four fungi species were identified from agricultural drain water pools. Aquatic fungi were twenty-two species inhabiting agricultural drain water and Nine fungi species were isolated from the associated insects. Some of these species recorded as entomopathogenic fungi for mosquitoes including Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, and F. incarnatum. The incidence values of all fungi species isolated reached the maximum of 17 in Spring. So, the associated insect species and fungi with mosquitoes in the present study can play an active role as biological control agents in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. This contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).