Studies on some ornithophilic mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) of the Kano Plain, Kenya

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Abstract
During 1972–74, 13 865 female mosquitoes of 25 species from eight genera were collected at the Kisumu heronry using light-traps, chicken-baited traps and battery-driven aspirators. A total of 3298 of these were engorged and 2169 were subjected to precipitin testing in order to determine their food sources. A high percentage of feeds on birds was recorded for Coquillettidia karandalaensis (Wolfs) (96%), Culex poicilipes (Theo.) (82%), and C. univittatus gp (65%); Mansonia uniformis (Theo.), M. africana (Theo.) and C. antennatus (Becker) were found to feed on birds occasionally. Results from catches in CDC light-traps set at various heights in trees with nesting birds indicated that C. univittatus gp, C. poicilipes and Aedomyia africana Nev.-Lem. were active in the upper levels of the canopy. Further analysis of blood-meals from birds indicated that C. univittatus gp mosquitoes were feeding principally on ciconiiform birds. Any mosquito which feeds regularly on birds and man must be considered as a potential vector of arboviruses; the results indicate that the most important vectors at Kisumu are probably C. univittatus gp mosquitoes.