Martinez-Ibarra J A, Rodriguez M H, Arredondo-Jimenez J I, Yuval B
Centro de Investigacion de Paludismo, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico.
J Med Entomol. 1997 Nov;34(6):589-93. doi: 10.1093/jmedent/34.6.589.
The availability of flowering plants affected the sugar feeding rates of female Aedes aegypti (L.) in 4 areas of a small city in southern Mexico. The proportion of mosquitoes containing sugar varied from 8 to 21% in 4 areas in direct relation to blooming plant abundance. Human density was similar in the 4 areas (range, 3.9-5.4 per house), whereas the number of flowering plants per house increased on the outskirts (range, 3.1-5.4 plants per house). Equal proportions of sugar positive females were nulliparous or parous, indicating similar sugar feeding at any age. In addition, nearly 60% of positive females were at the Christophers stage II, indicating a greater need for flight fuel during the early stages of egg development. We conclude that Ae. aegypti feeds frequently on nectar and that this activity is modulated by nectar availability.
