INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND OLFACTORY CUES IN THE HOST-SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF MOSQUITOS - THE ROLE OF RELATIVE-HUMIDITY

Authors
TAKKEN W KNOLS BGJ OTTEN H
Citation
W. Takken et al., INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND OLFACTORY CUES IN THE HOST-SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF MOSQUITOS - THE ROLE OF RELATIVE-HUMIDITY, Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology, 91, 1997, pp. 119-120
Citations number
1
Categorie Soggetti
Tropical Medicine",Parasitiology
Journal title
Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology → ACNP
ISSN journal
00034983
Volume
91
Year of publication
1997
Supplement
1
Pages
119 - 120
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-4983(1997)91:<119:IBPAOC>2.0.ZU;2-#
Abstract
The role of relative humidity (RH) in the host-seeking behaviour of fe male Anopheles gambiae s.s. (Diptera: Culicidae) was investigated in a wind-tunnel. Mosquitoes were significantly more successful in enterin g either of two odourless entry ports during periods of rising RH than when RH was stable or falling. Only 16% of mosquitoes responded in th e absence of odour, compared with 66.4% in the presence of human skin odours. When presented with a choice, mosquitoes always preferred the odour port more than the odourless. RH and skin odour therefore intera ct in the host-seeking process of Anopheles gambiae s.s.