Date of Award
5-2026
Degree Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
School
Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences
Committee Chair
Donald A. Yee
Committee Chair School
Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences
Committee Member 2
Mac H. Alford
Committee Member 2 School
Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences
Committee Member 3
Daniel A. H. Peach
Committee Member 3 School
Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences
Abstract
Mosquitoes rely on sugar feeding for survival, primarily from flowering plants, yet mosquito–plant interactions remain understudied. I examined plant-feeding associations of the mosquito Culex antillummagnorum in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico, which may clarify patterns of habitat use, disease dynamics, and broader species interactions. First, plant DNA was extracted from field-collected Cx. antillummagnorum to identify potential nectar sources. DNA barcoding produced positive matches to the flowering plant genera Billia, Aesculus, Cladium, Fimbristylis, Xyris, Cakile, and Habenaria. Habenaria was the most compelling result because it belongs to the same subtribe of orchids as Platanthera and Pterostylus, genera fed upon and pollinated by mosquitoes. Among Habenaria species in Puerto Rico H. amalfitana emerged as the strongest candidate due to its relatively short nectar spur, which may facilitate mosquito access to nectar. Second, survival assays tested how well wild caught Cx. antillummagnorum survived when provided seven flowering plant species from Puerto Rico, including three orchids. All plants resulted in significantly lower survival than sugar water (positive control); while four produced lower survival than water only (negative control). Survival rates were lower than comparable studies potentially indicating plants are not primary nectar sources in the wild, suboptimal environmental conditions, or delayed mortality from aspiration. Although H. amalfitana was not tested in the survival trials, as only one individual was found due to its small cryptic nature, further investigation of its interaction with Cx. antillummagnorum could reveal a previously unrecognized orchid specialist thus further elucidating the ecological roles played by this mosquito.
ORCID ID
0000-0002-3881-0039
Copyright
Ella J. Branham, 2026
Recommended Citation
Branham, Ella J., "Discerning Patterns of Floral Sugar-Feeding: Dynamics of the Mosquito Culex antillummagnorum in Puerto Rico" (2026). Master's Theses. 1201.
https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1201