Behavioural variation of Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) populations in Natal, South Africa

Abstract Anopheles arabiensis Patton populations occur in those areas of Natal in which intra-domiciliary DDT is used for mosquito vector control and in the unsprayed areas. Indoor resting collections from the unsprayed area showed a human blood index >90%, in contrast to the indoor collections from the sprayed area where only 31% had fed on man. In exit trap collections from the sprayed area, 66% had fed on man. These trends of a high human blood index in the exit trap collections and a low human blood index in the indoor resting catches were unaffected, despite the close proximity of a cattle kraal to the majority of homesteads.