INFLUENCE OF PLANT ABUNDANCE ON NECTAR FEEDING BY AEDES-AEGYPTI (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) IN SOUTHERN MEXICO

The availability of flowering plants affected the sugar feeding rates of female Aedes aegypti (L.) in 4 areas of a small city in southern Me xico. The proportion of mosquitoes containing sugar varied from 8 to 2 1% in 4 areas in direct relation to blooming plant abundance. Human de nsity was similar in the 4 areas (range, 3.9-5.4 per house), whereas t he number of flowering plants per house increased on the outskirts (ra nge, 3.1-5.4 plants per house). Equal proportions of sugar positive fe males were nulliparous or parous, indicating similar sugar feeding at any age. In addition, nearly 60% of positive females were at the Chris tophers stage II, indicating a greater need for flight fuel during the early stages of egg development. We conclude that Ae. aegypti feeds f requently on nectar and that this activity is modulated by nectar avai lability.