Artificial feeding of west African Simulium damnosum Theobald s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae) on man, domestic mammals and birds.
A population of known species composition (mainly Simulium damnosum s.s. with some S. sirbanum), was fed on chicken, guinea-fowl, rabbit, goat, sheep, and man, using simple techniques under similar conditions. Significant differences in feeding rates were found between the different host species, on different parts of the body, at times also between different individuals of the same species, and between techniques employed. On less favoured hosts wild-caught flies usually gave better results than laboratory emerged females. Taking both wild-caught and laboratory emerged flies into consideration, rabbit, man and guinea-fowl gave the best results, with the latter being particularly suitable.
D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011200:Poultry / Q000097:blood; D011817:Rabbits; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood; D012843:Simuliidae / Q000502:physiology*