Notre Dame recently received a record-breaking grant of $33.7 million to conduct research on the prevention of mosquito-borne diseases using a new spatial repellent product that works to reduce mosquito densities and fight diseases like malaria, dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Unitaid, an international health organization, agreed to fund the five-year project after a long and Source: The Observer
A slow increase of mosquitoes because of recent rains (via ARKLATEXHOMEPAGE)
Over the last few months, the ArkLaTex has Seen above average rainfall. As a result, you can notice an increase of standing water. The mosquito population has slowly increased. Source: ARKLATEXHOMEPAGE
Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab (via NPR.org)
The insects were created, using CRISPR, to carry a powerful “gene drive.” The mosquitoes could provide a potent weapon against malaria, but they raise fears about unpredictable environmental effects. Source: NPR.org
Breakdown: How mosquitoes survive a cold winter
Why Cold Winter Doesn’t Mean Less Mosquitoes Source: r20.rs6.net
Mosquitoes Can Hear Over Surprisingly Long Distances (via Forbes)
An experiment in one of the world’s quietest rooms reveals that mosquitoes can hear as far away as 10 meters, and can even pick up frequencies associated with human speech Source: Forbes
A New Way to Keep Mosquitoes From Biting (via The Atlantic)
An appetite-suppressing drug makes them act as if theyâve already feasted on blood. Source: The Atlantic
Putting female mosquitoes on human diet drugs could reduce spread of disease (via ScienceDaily)
Researchers report that they have identified drugs that can reduce mosquito hunger for blood. Because movement of female mosquitoes from human to human — male mosquitoes do not consume blood — is the means by which mosquito-borne infections are passed along, researchers have theorized that reducing the frequency with which female mosquitoes feed is one way to lessen the spread … Read More
Mosquitos briefly awaken from their hibernation (via Appeal-Democrat)
Officials from the Colusa Mosquito Abatement District have received some questions from residents as to why mosquitoes are out and about and biting so early in the year. Source: Appeal-Democrat
Common insect repellents mask human odors from malaria mosquitoes (via r20.rs6.net)
Researchers found that two commonly used insect repellents, including DEET, mask human smell, making people invisible to Anopheles mosquitoes, which transmit malaria. “Mosquitoes use their sense of smell to find us, and my lab is interested in studying the mosquito’s sense of smell in order to figure out ways to stop them from finding us, and ultimately from biting us … Read More
Cold, snow wont affect emerald ash borer and mosquito population (via newsroom@kcrg.com)
Insect Specialist Mark Shour says in a 2009 study about emerald ash borers versus winter weather, it was 30 below for five to six weeks. That’s when they saw a decline, but since this time it’s only for a couple days it won’t make much of a difference. Source: newsroom@kcrg.com
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