Sugar feeding by Culicoides mississippiensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) on the yaupon holly, Ilex vomitoria.
Adult Culicoides mississippiensis Hoffman were collected from 5 flowering yaupon holly plants at sunrise, late morning, early afternoon, and sunset from 5 flowering yaupon holly plants during the entire flowering season (16 March-15 April 1995). Individual insects were tested for fructose by using the cold anthrone test. Prevalence of fructose in C. mississippiensis was 55.6% (427 of 768), with positivity for gravid females greater than for males. Fructose positive rates decreased in gravid females from morning to evening, whereas male rates were constant until evening, when they decreased. Both sugar feeding by gravid females and host-seeking by parous females were highest at sunset, followed by sunrise.
Stewart
R G
RG
Center for Medical and Veterinary Entomology, USDA-ARS, Gainesville, FL 32604, USA.
Kline
D L
DL
D000818:Animals; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010944:Plants
D005632:Fructose