Diurnal Nectar-Feeding of Aedes cantator and A. sollicitans (Diptera: Culicidae) 1

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Abstract
A 50-m 2 salt marsh study plot was used from 0800 to 2000 h to observe diurnal associations of Aedes cantator (Coquillett) and Aedes sollicitans (Walker) with Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L. (ox-eye daisy), Achillea millefolium L. (yarrow), and Hieracium pratense Tausch (king-devil hawkweed) and to determine periods of most active biting intensity on humans. Both sexes of each species were more frequently collected from flowers of plants in peak bloom and at high relative densities. Diurnal shifts in the selection of host plants were not apparent. Of the total 1711 mosquitoes captured from blooming plants, significantly more individuals (66%) were observed probing floral and non-floral structures between 1600 and 2000 h. Periods of peak association with nectar sources and times of maximum blood-seeking activity were synchronous for each species. Anthrone tests detected fructose and sucrose in resting and blood-seeking mosquitoes throughout diurnal hours, but in each behavioral group, significantly more A. cantator and A. sollicitans females (65–89%) contained these sugars at 2000–2100 h. Percentages of nectar-positive males (≥55%)consistently exceeded those of females for both species between 0800 and 1700 h; no differences could be found between sexes during 1700–2100 h. Relatively high frequencies of nectar-positive males and females suggest repeated daily associations of these salt marsh mosquitoes with sugar sources.