Chemical ecology of nectar–mosquito interactions: recent advances and future directions

• Published in: Current opinion in insect science 2024-06, Vol.63, p.101199, Article 101199
• Main Authors: Sobhy, Islam S, Berry, Colin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2214-5745; 2214-5745
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101199

Mosquitoes, males and females, rely on sugar-rich resources, including floral nectar as a primary source of sugar to meet their energy and nutritional needs. Despite advancements in understanding mosquito host-seeking and blood-feeding preferences, significant gaps in our knowledge of the chemical ecology mediating mosquito–nectar associations remain. The influence of such association with nectar on mosquito behavior and the resulting effects on their fitness are also not totally understood. It is significant that floral nectar frequently acts as a natural habitat for various microbes (e.g. bacteria and yeast), which substantially alter nectar characteristics, influencing the nutritional ecology of flower-visiting insects, such as mosquitoes. The role of nectar-inhabiting microbes in shaping the nectar–mosquito interactions remains, however, under-researched. This review explores recent advances in understanding the role of such multitrophic interactions on the fitness and life history traits of mosquitoes and outlines future directions for research toward their control as disease vectors. •Mosquitoes that may carry disease, also pollinate plants, affecting reproduction.•Nectar finding is multisensory in mosquitoes, with odorants playing a crucial role.•Nectar microbes change odor profiles and impact mosquito behavior and fitness.