Seed pods of the carob tree Ceratonia siliqua are a favored sugar source for the mosquito Aedes albopictus in coastal Israel

The sugar feeding of Aedes albopictus was studied. In outdoor cages they fed avidly on carob (Ceratonia siliqua L., Caesalpiniaceae) seed pods soiled with sugary exudates. Feeding was either from the surface or by piercing the tissue which is indicated by the presence of plant tissue residues in the gut. More than 90% were sugar positive and about a third had plant tissue residues in the gut after overnight exposure. Similar exposure to clean undamaged seed pods resulted in about two thirds sugar positive mosquitoes and all of these had plant-tissue residues in the gut.In an irrigated, field site, with abundance of sugar sources in the summer 68% of the females and 75% of the males were sugar positive whereas, 1.2% of the females and no males had plant tissue in the gut. The proportion of sugar positive mosquitoes was similar in the autumn and plant tissue was not found in 150 females and 13 males. In the dry site in the summer 42% females and 33% males were sugar positive while 22% females and 33% males contained plant tissue. In the autumn 73% females and 80% males were sugar positive while 2% females and none of the males contained plant tissue.

In arid environment, Aedes albopictus feed on sugary exudates of carob seedpods and at the same time on sub-surface tissues by piercing the seed pods in a blood feeding mode.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights▶ Aedes albopictus are attracted to and feed on tissue of carob seedpods. ▶ They are piercing the seed pods in blood feeding mode. ▶ This behavior prevails in the absence of flowers and honeydew.