The paradox of plant preference: The malaria vectors and select suboptimal food sources for their survival and reproduction.

and mosquitoes, two major malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa, exhibit selectivity among plant species as potential food sources. However, it remains unclear if their preference aligns with optimal nutrient intake and survival. Following an extensive screening of the effects of 31 plant species on in Burkina Faso, we selected three species for their contrasting effects on mosquito survival, namely , , and .