Behavioral heterogeneity in host seeking and post-feeding suppression among disease vector mosquitoes

Female mosquitoes bite vertebrate hosts and consume their blood to obtain nutrients for egg production, with species-specific host preferences and host-seeking strategies. Biting-related behaviors are modulated by internal physiological states, such as the suppression of host-seeking after a full blood meal, a phenomenon that varies in timing and duration across mosquito species. Here, we establish a behavior monitoring and classification pipeline to systematically compare baseline host-seeking behavior and post-blood meal suppression in Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex mosquitoes. We find distinct behavioral signatures and notable interspecific differences in the onset and duration of host-seeking suppression. While Aedes and Anopheles host-seeking behaviors have been extensively studied in laboratory settings, comparable behavioral data for Culex have been limited. Our findings establish a framework to study host seeking across key vector species, providing comparative insight into the internal control of behavioral plasticity and offering a foundation for improved modeling of host interactions and vector control.