Environmentally Mediated Seasonal Variation in Mosquito Body Size

Abstract

The mean adult body size of male and nonblood-fed female Culex nigripalpus Theobald mosquitoes showed a highly significant negative correlation with water temperature in the field. Large females were more successful in obtaining blood and developing eggs during an extended period of drought from March through September 1987. Small females emerged from field-collected pupae but were less successful in blood feeding and developing eggs in the field during the period of drought.