Blood Meal Preference of Some Anopheline Mosquitoes in Command and Non-command Areas of Rajasthan, India

Background: The present study was undertaken to compare the entomological situation by analyzing the blood meal of mosquitoes of canal irrigated and nonirrigated areas of Bikaner in order to explore scientific information on the vector biology and malaria burden profile and to plan proper strategies for malaria control and eradication. Methods: Adult mosquitoes were collected and the abdomen of the blood fed females were crushed on a filter paper for blood meal analysis and subjected to precipitin test. Results: The blood meal analysis showed that Anopheles subpictus had a preference towards cattle blood, An. culicifacies and An. stephensi preferred human blood, while, An. annularis was noted to feed only on bovine blood. Conclusion: Although An. annularis, has been recently reported from the area, was found to feed exclusively on bovine blood, earlier reports suggest that this species is a vector of malaria and therefore preventive measures should be taken well in advance before this species gets established in the area.