Bloodmeal mass and oviparity mediate host avidity and DEET repellency in aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract

This study was made to determine the effects of bloodmeal mass and oviparity in Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) on continued host-seeking activity in female mosquitoes and efficacy of the repellent N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET). There was a curvilinear relationship between bloodmeal mass in partially fed Ae. albopictus and host avidity with a threshold between 0.8 and 1.0 mg of ingested blood for reduced host seeking by female mosquitoes. Egg development and fecundity were related to bloodmeal mass, which also evoked significantly different mean host seeking rates in nulliparous and parous Ae. albopictus. The repellency of DEET to partially blood fed female mosquitoes depended on oviparity status and host avidity with repellent failure soonest in partially blood fed nullipars.