Diuresis in newly emerged, unfed mosquitoes. II. The basic pattern in relation to escape from the water, preparation for mature flight, mating and the first blood meal

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Abstract
A study of 2000 newly emerged adult mosquitoes (A. aegypti) shows that the rate of excretion is high at the time of eclosion but falls rapidly over the next few minutes. In both sexes, the high rate of excretion is regained during a 2nd peak in the middle of day 1. It remains high for .apprx. 6 h and then falls steadily to a low level, which persists at least until the end of day 3. In females this level is not reached until some 8 h after the males. This steady low level of activity is regarded as the basic rate of excretion; it is about 7 nl min-1 in females and < 1 nl min-1 in males. The rapid loss of fluid in the newly emerged adult enables the insect to make its 1st teneral flight, escaping from the surface of the water within minutes of eclosion. The 2nd peak of excretion occurs within the period of rest during the 1st day of adult life when muscles needed for swimming are being replaced by those needed for flight. The low rate of excretion which follows on day 2 and is continued on day 3 signals the establishment of full flight activity covering mating and, in the female, the 1st blood meal. During the blood meal and immediately afterwards the rate of excretion is already known to increase significantly: for a truer measure of this increase the amounts should now have the female basic rate, as here defined, deducted from it.