Relationship Between Adult Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Body Size and Parity in Field Populations

Abstract

Resting and host-seeking adult female Psorophora columbiae (Dyar & Knab), Aedes atlanticus Dyar & Knab, Aedes vexans (Meigen), and Culex salinarius Coquillett were collected. Wing length and parity of each individual were determined. Results showed that average wing lengths within the four species did not differ between the resting and host-seeking populations. Parous C. salinarius and A. vexans had significantly longer wing lengths than did nulliparous females of the same species. Within each species, individuals were grouped in size classes of 1, 2, and 3 SD above and below the mean. In all four species, the percent parous in the larger size classes was higher than in the smaller size classes. Results indicate that large-bodied mosquitoes are more successful at blood-feeding than are smaller individuals.