Sampling and distribution of Anopheles quadrimaculatus immatures in rice fields

Dipper samples of Anopheles quadrimaculatus immatures from stocked enclosures in Arkansas rice fields were used to develop regression equations relating dipper sample counts to absolute density. Confidence limits were developed for mean number of immatures collected at each density and stadia, including combined stadia. These data can be used to estimate absolute density from mean dipper count. Distribution of rice field immatures approximated but did not fit the Poisson distribution. Sample size was calculated for 10, 25 and 50% of the true mean, at various levels of Type I and II error. A sample size of N = 6,424 was necessary to detect differences within 10% of the true mean, with 5 and 10% probability of Type I and II error, respectively.