The latest news about entomology, brought to you by the Entomological Society of America
Michael Reiskind, Ph.D., found inspiration for entomological research at a gas station. “Several years ago, I noticed an Aedes albopictus adult resting on the water in a windshield wash basin at a gas station,” he says. “Closer inspection revealed that she was just emerging from a pupa, which means that these habitats were capable of […]
The old adage “bad press is better than no press” has a long history, and it surely applies to coverage of insects broadly and insects that are harmful to humans, more specifically. If you missed the Discovery channel program Mosquito that aired last Thursday night, July 6, then you missed a chance to see some of […]
Researchers have identified the Zika virus in mosquito species other than Aedes aegypti, which is largely responsible for the current outbreaks of Zika infection, raising concerns that other mosquitoes may be capable of transmitting the virus. However, a new study demonstrates that mosquitoes in the genus Culex are highly unlikely to transmit the infection to […]
Scientists have long known that DEET, the gold standard of insect repellents for more than six decades, effectively repels mosquitoes, but now researchers in the Walter Leal Lab at the University of California, Davis, have discovered the exact odorant receptor that makes DEET effective. They have also identified a plant defensive compound that might mimic […]
