Analysis of nectar and honeydew feeding in Aedes and Ochlerotatus mosquitoes

Most research has investigated floral nectar as a source of carbohydrates for mosquitoes and has ignored homopteran honeydew. We have assessed the prevalence of honeydew and nectar feeding in 7 species of mosquitoes collected from Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. In total, 403 individuals were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, with melezitose and stachyose as honeydew-indicator sugars. From the 403 individuals, 214 contained sugars, of which only 8.8% had the honeydew-indicating sugars. We conclude that female Aedes and Ochlerotatus mosquitoes in Algonquin Provincial Park seem to feed infrequently on honeydew.