COMPARISON OF ARTIFICIAL MEMBRANE WITH LIVE HOST BLOODFEEDING OF AEDES AEGYPTI (L.) (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)1,2

Abstract

Bloodfeeding, egg production and eclosion of Aedes aegypti (L.) fed citrated horse, sheep, or rabbit blood through a Parafilm membrane, with and without a phagostimulant (CO2), were compared with live host (rabbit) fed Ae. aegypti. Laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti were bloodfed for 30 min, 3 times/week for 18 weeks. Citrated mammalian bloods in a glass feeder were warmed to 37°C by a heater/circulator, and offered to the mosquitoes through a stretched Parafilm membrane; dry ice was placed beside the feeders during the final 9 weeks of the study. A significantly lower percentage (47–70%, P < 0.0001) of Ae. aegypti engorged during membrane bloodfeeding than during live host bloodfeeding resulting in significantly lower egg production (P < 0.0001) and egg eclosion in membrane bloodfed insects. Of the in vitro fed mosquitoes, mean egg production was highest in citrated horse blood fed females during weeks 1–9. With the use of CO2 during the last 9 weeks, there was a significant increase in the mean number of mosquitoes engorging on citrated sheep and rabbit blood (P < 0.0001) with a corresponding increase in mean egg production (P ≤ 0.0001). Even though egg production decreased with membrane bloodfeeding, this study suggests that Ae. aegypti colonies can be successfully maintained on a variety of preserved mammalian bloods fed through a Parafilm membrane.