Saturday, 18 May, 2013

Mosquitoes spread a lot of disease, but they are not just “flying hypodermic needles.” As we rush to protect ourselves against a virus that can cause permanent brain damage, how can we understand and control the mosquitoes that spread West Nile?

Classroom Activity Page: As disease-infected mosquitoes expand their range, these bugs rise higher on the “menace to human health” list. What makes mosquitoes such perfect agents for disease transfer? Is global warming a factor? How is modern technology being harnessed in the war against skeeters?

“It’s true. There’s always one in every group,” says UW-Madison entomology professor and mosquito expert Susan Paskewitz. That’s not to say mosquitoes target certain people because they’re tastier or have higher quality blood. Rather, it’s all about how easy you are to locate. “The main things are how you smell and how hot you are,” [...]

Making mosquitoes that resist malaria sounds like a winning strategy. Could this bright idea fail — or even backfire? What other smart ideas might help us fight malaria?

After boy and girl mosquitoes meet, they synchronize their wingbeats. What does this tell us about how insects use sound?

Malaria harms people and mosquitoes. Some skeeters already kill malaria. Shouldn’t we work together to control this global blood parasite?

Mosquitoes are a nuisance and a public-health threat. Why do they find me so appetizing? Will they spread as the globe warms? What can you really do to protect yourself?