Non-membrane feeding device and diet formulation for mosquito colony production

1. A method of maintaining and growing hematophagus insects, comprising:

(a) providing an artificial feeding system comprising:

i) a diet reservoir for receiving a synthetic, blood-free diet formulation;

ii) at least one feeding platform that is hydrophobic and floats; and

iii) an optional mosquito proof covering separating said diet reservoir from said platform, said system and diet formulation being suitable for egg production and colony maintenance, wherein said system lacks a membrane;

(b) dissolving the synthetic, blood-free diet formulation in water; and

(c) feeding the hematophagus insects with said synthetic blood free diet formulation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said diet reservoir is 5 mm or less in depth.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said system comprises multiple feeding platforms.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said covering is present and is a mesh having a pore size of about 2 mm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said diet reservoir is circular, square, or triangular in shape.

6. The method system of claim 1 , wherein said synthetic blood free diet formulation comprises a traceable reagent.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said traceable reagent is a UV dye.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintenance and growth occurs across multiple generations of mosquito.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein mosquitos are reared under diapausing conditions and produce viable diapause eggs.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said A synthetic blood-free diet formulation comprises effective amounts of a protein source, a carbohydrate source and, optionally a lipid source, said diet being suitable for egg production and colony maintenance.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said protein source is selected from the group consisting of animal protein, milk protein, plant protein, insect protein, arthropod protein, and amino acids.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said protein source is bovine serum albumin and/or egg albumin.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said carbohydrate source comprises at least one of glucose, sucrose, fructose, or mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said lipid source is present and is cholesterol.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein said synthetic blood-free diet formulation lacks an ATP phagostimulant.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein said method supports growth of mosquito species selected from Aedes, Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the protein source is present in an amount of 5-30% (W/V) and the carbohydrate source is present in an amount of 3-10% (W/V).

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the diet formulation is selected from the group consisting of:

Diet 1: Bovine Serum albumin (5-20%) (W/V) Sugar (5-10%) (W/V) Dissolved in 1 mM Phosphate Buffered Saline (pH 7.2);

Diet 2: Bovine Serum albumin (5-10%) (W/V) Egg albumin (5-10%) (W/V) Sugar (5-10%) (W/V) dissolved in 1 mM Phosphate Buffered Saline (pH 7.2);

Diet 3: Egg albumin (5-10%) (W/V) Sugar (5-10%) (W/V) dissolved in 1 mM Phosphate Buffered Saline (pH 7.2);

Diet 4: Bovine Serum albumin (5-20%) (W/V);

Sugar (5-10%) (W/V) Cholesterol (1-2 mg/ml) dissolved in 1 mM Phosphate Buffered Saline (pH 7.2); and

Diet 5: Bovine Serum albumin (5-20%) (W/V) Sugar (5-10%) (W/V) dissolved in Distilled water.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feeding platform is formed from a mesh.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method supports growth and maintenance of a mosquito colony comprising Aedes, Anopheles or Culex mosquitoes.