LE3 .A278 2010

2010

Smith, Todd
Hillier, Kirk

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Biology

Biology

Female mosquitoes require blood from a host to obtain nutrients required for egg production; thus, an important part of the mosquito life cycle is locating a suitable vertebrate host. Previous studies have examined the aspects of humans that mosquitoes find attractive. However, many species of mosquitoes do not feed on humans exclusively, but rather prefer to feed on birds, snakes, frogs, or other mammals. Two species of mosquito found in Nova Scotia, Culex territans and Culex pipiens, have been reported to feed on green frogs and garter snakes, respectively, and transmit malaria‐ like parasites among their hosts. The first objective of this study was to investigate the ectothermic host preferences of both C. territans and C. pipiens, and the second objective was to investigate compounds produced by the frogs and snakes that attract these mosquitoes. A glass tube in the shape of a Y ( a Y‐tube) was used to determine mosquito preference for either of two stimuli. Stimuli, including live frogs and snakes, skin swabs of frogs and snakes, urea, uric acid, humidity and CO2, were placed in the arms of the Y‐ tube, and a mosquito introduced into the stem of the Y‐ tube was allowed to fly upwind and choose between the two stimuli. Results suggest that C. territans prefers a snake as a host and C. pipiens prefers a frog, although statistical analysis has not shown these preferences to be significant. Results on cues that attract C. territans were inconclusive. Culex pipiens appears to respond to CO2 as an attractant, but this response was not statistically significant. Discovery of host preferences and attraction cues in these species could broaden our understanding of the role these mosquitoes play in the transmission of malaria‐ like pathogens among frogs and snakes.

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