Night and Day: Researchers Hunt for Genes Tied to When Mosquitoes Bite
In regions where bed nets are common, some mosquitoes have shifted their feeding times to avoid the nets. A new study digs into the genetic basis for this behavioral shift.
Let It Be B: In the Search for Blood, One Mosquito Species Has a Type (RETRACTED)
A new study shows the malaria-transmitting Anopheles stephensi has a strong preference for type B human blood. The finding has implications for identifying individuals at high risk of mosquito-borne disease, but those with other blood types shouldn't put away the insect repellent.
Need to Feed Mosquitoes? Head for the Freezer Aisle
In search of a simple, cost-effective way to maintain laboratory mosquito colonies, biologists at a mosquito control district in Florida have turned to food-grade frozen animal blood found at specialty grocery stores. They share the success of their new method for other cash-strapped mosquito-management operations in the open-access Journal of Insect Science.
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.