The latest news about entomology, brought to you by the Entomological Society of America
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 based on rainfall and temperature. The study, “Predicting West Nile Virus Infection Risk From the Synergistic Effects of Rainfall and Temperature,” was published in the […]
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 rodents — on which some ticks feed on. However, for other situations it may have the opposite effect. A study of the West Nile virus […]
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 dengue virus. However, researchers who wanted to know whether the bacteria could be used as a tool against West Nile virus have found that Wolbachia […]
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 (SIT), this insect-control method has traditionally relied on gamma rays to sterilize the insects. However, due to concerns about terrorism, gamma-ray irradiators have become increasingly […]
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 fever. As temperatures rise, the logic goes, the mosquito habitat will increase and more people will be exposed to them, making them potential disease victims. […]
