blood meal

American  

noun

1. the dried blood of animals used as a fertilizer, diet supplement for livestock, or deer repellent.

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Etymology

Origin of blood meal

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Female mosquitoes that had recently taken a blood meal were separated and studied in the lab.

From Science Daily • Jan. 15, 2026

Toward the end of the summer, when mosquitoes have reached their peak numbers and start jostling for any available blood meal, human cases start cropping up.

From Salon • Sep. 7, 2024

If you use bark, add a nitrogen source such as blood meal.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 14, 2024

For both dengue and malaria, mosquitoes get infected when they have a blood meal from an infected person.

From Scientific American • Jul. 31, 2023

Female midges gather in swarms of millions as they seek out a blood meal to feed their eggs, leaving many of their human "victims" with red, itchy sores.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2023