Mosquito host preference plays a major role in viral persistence, zoonotic spillover, and urban transmission. This chapter synthesizes evidence from behavioral studies, molecular genetics, genomics, ecology, and field surveillance to explain how mosquitoes acquire host preferences, how their sensory systems guide host choice, and how these behaviors shape the transmission of viruses such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and West Nile. Attention is given to the evolution of human-seeking behavior in Aedes aegypti, the flexible feeding patterns of Culex mosquitoes, the ways urban environments drive behavioral and genetic change, and the growing use of molecular tools to identify blood-meal sources. Together, this chapter highlights findings that show that host preference is a dynamic ecological trait that must be accounted for in any effort to model or manage mosquito-borne virus transmission.
