Hosts of Mosquitoes in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina

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Abstract
Serological assays, using antisera produced against host serum proteins, were used to identify bloodmeal sources of 24 species of mosquitoes collected in primarily natural habitats in Duplin County, North Carolina during 1984 and 1985. Culex peccator fed almost exclusively on snakes and frogs. Cx. territans fed on reptiles and amphibians. Aedes triseriatus and Ae. canadensis fed primarily on turtles. Psorophora ferox, Ae. atlanticus, and Ae. fulvus pallens fed primarily on various mammals. Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. restuans, Culiseta melanura, and Ae. dupreei fed primarily on passerine birds. Cx. quinquefasciatus was the only mosquito species that fed in significant numbers on chickens and turkeys, although large numbers of poultry were present. Cx. erraticus and several other species fed opportunistically on a variety of hosts. Seasonal or geographical host-feeding variability was not apparent in any of the species investigated. Multiple feeding occurred at a low rate (<0.2%).