Entomologists Discuss Discovery’s “Mosquito” Documentary: A Live-Tweet Recap
By Donald A. Yee, Ph.D. 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 […]
West Nile Virus Infections Can Be Estimated by Observing Rainfall and Temperatures
By Alan Bolds A study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) found that mosquito infection rates (MIR) for West Nile virus can be estimated with statistical models […]
Mowing Grass in Water-Detention Basins Increases Mosquito Populations
Mowing grass and weeds is a useful way of managing some pests. For example, clearing yards and fields is one way of managing ticks without using insecticides because mowing discourages […]
West Nile Virus Enhanced by Wolbachia in Culex tarsalis Mosquito
Wolbachia, a genus of bacteria that infects insects and other arthropods, has been used in the past to control mosquitoes and to hinder their ability to spread diseases such as […]
X-rays Can be Used to Sterilize Mosquitoes
Since the 1950s, scientists have used radiation to sterilize insects, which are then released into the wild to mate, but no offspring are produced. Known as the sterile insect technique […]
Warmer Climate Does not Necessarily Mean More Mosquitoes and Diseases
In recent years, some reports have claimed that as global temperatures rise, more areas will be affected by diseases that are spread by mosquitoes, such as malaria, dengue, and yellow […]
Study is Testing Mosquito Biting Rates and Control Methods
Grayson Brown, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky and Past President of the Entomological Society of America, is testing the biting rate of mosquitoes in residential backyards in Lexington, […]