A new design of membrane feeder incorporating an electrical blood stirring device.

A selection of the literature illustrating the origin and development of membrane feeding devices is reviewed. A new membrane feeding device-incorporating an electrical stirrer is described and its mode of operation explained. The sedimentation of red blood cells within a membrane feeding device, and the consequent hazard to arthropod feeding, is prevented by the use of the redesigned feeding unit and electrical blood stirrer. The mosquito feeding rate and mean blood meal size (mg) were unaffected by the action of the stirrer when compared to those in an unstirred control. Mosquitoes, bugs, ticks and tsetse flies have been fed sucessfully using the apparatus.