When Mosquitoes Go to Bed for Winter, and How It Can Inform Management
A look at the body of research on how and when day lengths trigger mosquitoes to enter winter diapause suggests more data on mosquito species' critical photoperiods and their relation to latitude and altitude could better align surveillance and management efforts with mosquitoes' seasonally active periods.
When a Mosquito Can’t Stop Drinking Blood, the Result Isn’t Pretty
An entomologist studying the biology of mosquito blood-feeding finds that a mosquito with a severed ventral nerve cord can't sense when it is full, and it will keep on feeding well beyond what its body can hold. Video captured by the researcher illustrates the results.
Notes From Puerto Rico: Quakes Increase Risk for Mosquito-Borne Disease Outbreak
Grayson Brown, Ph.D., executive director of the Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit and a past president of the Entomological Society of America, reports that conditions in Puerto Rico are ripe for a potential dengue outbreak, as recent earthquakes have driven residents out of their homes, increasing their exposure to mosquitoes. The PRVCU is working with ESA and other organizations to quickly procure approximately 5,000 bed nets to help protect residents from mosquitoes.
“Natural” Oil Mosquito Repellents May Fend Off Mosquitoes—Briefly
A recent Journal of Medical Entomology study investigates the ability of essential oils to repel mosquitoes.