The Detection of Nectar Sugars in Field-Collected Culex nigripalpus and Its Application1

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Abstract
A conventional paper chromatographic technique is described to quantitate the nectar feeding by 32P-marked Culex nigripalpus Theobald for 11 consecutive days after being released in the field. Of the resting and blood-seeking adults that were captured, overall 57.5-100% were positive for glucose, as compared to 3-69.1% positive for fructose. The presence of these free sugars in the captured adults indicated that they had taken a nectar meal. The nectar-feeding by adult mosquitoes during the 11 consecutive days showed fluctuations in the relative quantities of glucose and fructose. It is suggested that an investigation of nectar-feeding by mosquitoes in nature cannot rely solely on a fructose test, but a chromatographic test for several nectar sugars is more amenable to such an investigation.