The blood-feeding habits of Aedes sollicitans (Walker) in relation to eastern equine encephalitis virus in coastal areas of New Jersey. II. Results of experiments with caged mosquitoes and the effects of temperature and physiological age on host selection.

Because of the extremely low incidence of avian feedings reported from field collected Aedes sollicitans (Walker), host-seeking mosquitoes were collected in the field, placed into outdoor cages and offered a restrained bird (Japanese quail) and restrained mammal (guinea pig) to determine if the species would accept or reject an avian host. No significant difference in feeding response was observed between groups of mosquitoes offered only the bird or the mammal. A majority of the mosquitoes accepted. the host that was offered suggesting that Ae. sollicitans is an opportunistic blood-feeder rather than a fixed mammalophilic species. When mosquitoes were offered a choice of a mammal or bird, one-third of the mosquitoes accepted the bird as the blood-meal host when the mammal was present as an alternative. Physiological age dissections showed that both nulliparous and parous mosquitoes fed preferentially on the mammalian host but significantly more parous mosquitoes accepted the guinea pig when a choice was available. Reduced temperatures decreased the number of mosquitoes that attempted to blood-feed under laboratory conditions but did not alter host selection in these tests. Results are discussed in relation to. acquisition of eastern equine encephalitis virus and the role of Ae. sollicitans as an epidemic vector of the disease.