Abstract
The blood-feeding patterns of Aedes vexans and Aedes trivittatus were studied in 3 habitat types in northern Indiana, USA. Both species fed primarily on mammals, and both exhibited a high degree of variability in the type of hosts used. Daily variation in blood feeding was detected among and within locations. Aedes vexans fed mainly on large mammals (deer, horses, and cows). However, the blood-feeding pattern varied depending upon which large mammal was most abundant in the area studied. Aedes trivittatus was more opportunistic and fed extensively on a wider variety of hosts than Ae. vexans. The results are discussed in terms of the “host image” and host-seeking behavior of the mosquito species, the effect of environmental variables on blood feeding, and the importance of local variation in blood feeding to studies of the ecology of mosquitoborne pathogens.
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