Cohorts of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) of known age were offered in separate experiments their first blood meal from an artificial membrane system or a restrained chicken. For cohorts ranging from 3 to 15 days old, significant effects of species and age on proportion feeding were detected for both blood sources, with a higher proportion of Ae. aegypti than Ae. albopictus, on average, consuming blood. An interaction between species and age effects was significant only for the membrane feeding system. Regressions of proportion feeding versus age were significant for Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti on the membrane system but explained only 11 and 32% of the variances, respectively, and no significant relationship was observed for either species on the restrained chicken. On both feeding protocols significant differences in proportions blood-fed were detected between females which differed in age by only one day. Particularly for females aged 3-13 days, the proportions feeding exhibited periodic trends which suggested possible control by endogenous rhythms.
Species 1: Diptera Culicidae Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito)
Species 2: Diptera Culicidae Aedes albopictus (asian tiger mosquito)
Keywords: Female age, Proportion blood-fed
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