Haemosporidians are the most important vector-borne parasites due to their cosmopolitan distribution and their wide range of hosts, including humans. Identification of their vectors is critical to highlight ecologically and epidemiologically relevant features such as host specificity or transmission routes. Biting midges of the genus Culicoides are considered the main vectors of Haemoproteus spp., yet important information on aspects such as vector feeding preferences or vector-host...

Host selection by mosquitoes plays a central role in the transmission of vector-borne infectious diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying intraspecific differences in hosts’ attractiveness to mosquitoes are still poorly known. Host metabolism is an important trait that may influence mosquito searching and feeding behaviors. Here, the role of house sparrow Passer domesticus metabolic rate in the feeding preferences of Culex pipiens, a widespread mosquito vector of many pathogens affecting...