ARTIFICIAL BLOODFEEDING OF ANOPHELES STEPHENSI ON A MEMBRANE APPARATUS WITH HUMAN WHOLE BLOOD

The purpose of this study was to rear large numbers of Anopheles stephensi (Lis.) by artificial feeding with human whole blood in an insectary. An artificial membrane, bloodfeeding technique was evaluated for An. stephensi using the insectarium's strain in Iran. Parafilm “M” and human whole blood were satisfactory as a feeding membrane and as a source of nourishment, respectively. Comparison of feeding rates and different ages were fluctuated in rearing of 3 generations of An. stephensi with human whole blood using membrane Parafilm “M.” The maximum feeding rate achieved was 90.9%. Anopheles stephensi, a mosquito normally requiring a vertebrate blood meal to produce eggs, has been reared successfully for 3 generations on this substitute blood meal.