Feeding patterns of mosquitoes collected in the Senegal River basin

Mosquitoes were collected with light traps baited with dry ice at 16 locations in Senegal during the rainy season of 1988. Of 62,055 mosquitoes identified, 1,384 (2.2%), representing 25 species in 4 genera, were bloodfed. Mosquito bloodmeals were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against antisera to humans, bovines, goats, sheep and chickens. Overall, 88% of the bloodmeals tested were identified. Bloodmeals from 5 species of Culex mosquitoes comprised 82% of the number tested. Culex antennatus (36.6%) and Cx. tritaeniorhyncus (33.5%) were the most abundant. All Culex except those of the Cx. univittatus group fed most often on humans. Aedes species fed almost equally on all mammals tested, while species of Anopheles preferred cattle over humans, goats and sheep.