Need to Mail Mosquitoes? Pack Them Up Nice and Snug
Several emerging mosquito-management methods require the transport of mosquitoes to precise locations. There, lab-reared mosquitoes—for instance, sterilized males—mix with wild mosquitoes and hinder the population's ability to reproduce or transmit disease. But, getting mosquitoes from lab to wild presents logistical challenges. A team led by researchers at New Mexico State University are tackling this problem and have made a surprising discovery about just how tightly live mosquitoes can be packed up.
Study of Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Finds No Evidence of Natural Wolbachia Infection
A new study of genetic samples from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from around the world finds no evidence of naturally occurring infection with Wolbachia bacteria, a positive sign for efforts that artificially introduce Wolbachia to mosquito populations to reduce their numbers or interrupt their ability to transmit disease-causing pathogens.
Flower Pots in Southwestern U.S. a Common Breeding Site for Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes
The Aedes aegypti mosquito typically prefers humid climates, but it has gained a foothold in the arid southwestern U.S. by using manmade containers for breeding sites—in particular, flower pots and the saucers underneath them.
Fertilizer Runoff is a Boon to Mosquito Growth
A new study shows that fertilizer present in water where mosquitoes breed can boost growth of bacteria, algae, and fungi, which mosquito larvae feed on, resulting in accelerated larval development and greater survival rates to adulthood.