This is a summary on a R&D project entitled “Modeling spatial/ temporal distribution of mosquito breeding habitats and monitoring environmental factors associated with the proliferation in Suez Canal Zone, using remote sensing and GIS”.

The project aimed at identification of environmental and climatic characteristics associated with mosquito breeding at Suez Canal Zone using spatial/ temporal satellite data and GIS techniques.

It also looked at prediction of mosquito habitat, based on environmental characteristics of mosquito habitat, through creating cartographic models to expect the spatial distribution of mosquito habitat along the whole Suez Canal Zone. Field surveys resulted in the presence of nine mosquito larva species. Most of investigated breeding sites reported high levels of EC, Turbidity and O.M. Highest density (1-373.3 with mean 100.1) was reported during April 2016 (Spring season) which represent the most optimal conditions for mosquito proliferation in Suez Canal zone. Conversely, least mosquito larval density (1-53 with mean of 9.2) was recorded during October 2015 (autumn season). The produced risk map showed that total high risk area occupies 59.16 km2 (1 %), risk area 2026.37 km2 (27 %), vulnerable 497.5 km2 (7 %) and non-infected 4940.43 km2 (65%), within Suez Canal Zone. This map is very important for supporting decision makers to set appropriate control programs to mosquito, starting by the high risk area and ending by the vulnerable area. For validations purposes; more than 100 different localities were surveyed, along the western bank of Suez Canal. Finally, NDVI, NDMI

and LST were successfully utilized for mosquito breeding habitat identification with significant results of 78.5 % and reaches 100 % accuracy at localities where potential larval habitats are confirmed by in-situ checks.