Common Insects found in Male and Female Hostels of Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo (AFUED): Implications for Public Health among undergraduates

Abstract

Densely occupied university hostels in tropical West Africa provide favourable microenvironments for synanthropic insects, many of which are established vectors of pathogens of public health importance. Systematic entomological documentation of hostel insect fauna remains scarce for Nigerian tertiary institutions of learning. This study characterised the species composition and relative abundance of insects in six undergraduate hostels three male and three female at Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo (AFUED), and examined the public health implications of the observed insect burden. A four-week entomological survey combining direct visual observation with sticky, light, and pitfall trapping was conducted across sleeping quarters, kitchens, bathrooms, and corridors of the Loyo, Tetfund, and Oba Victor Kiladejo male hostels and the Café, Tetfund, and Wande Abimbola female hostels. Specimens were identified morphologically using standard entomological keys and enumerated per hostel. Thirteen insect taxa were recorded, comprising cockroaches, sugar ants, soldier ants, houseflies, blowflies, moths, house crickets, weevils, beetles, butterflies, mantids, variegated grasshoppers, and mosquitoes. Soldier ants were numerically dominant in every hostel (minimum counts exceeding 1,000), followed by houseflies (541–671) and mosquitoes (minimum counts of 100–123). The Tetfund female hostel recorded the highest overall insect burden, including the highest soldier ant (>1,500) and cockroach (285) counts. The consistently high density of medically important insects across both male and female hostels indicates systemic gaps in sanitation, waste management, and structural maintenance at AFUED. Sustained integrated pest management, improved sanitation infrastructure, and targeted health education are recommended to protect undergraduate health and wellbeing.