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Articles on Mosquitoes

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We might not be able to use common insecticides to kill mosquitoes that arrive from other countries. from www.shutterstock.com

Stowaway mozzies enter Australia from Asian holiday spots – and they’re resistant to insecticides

Been on a tropical holiday? You might have brought home more than just a new sarong and extra colour in your cheeks – perhaps a mosquito that spreads dengue, or another known as ‘the BBQ stopper’.
A female blacklegged deer tick crawls along a piece of straw. (Shutterstock)

Tick, tock: The countdown to peak tick season is here

Ticks are generally inactive in the winter and start to look for their next meal as temperatures warm up. But as winters warm, every season may become tick season.
CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology is being used in field from agriculture to medicine to food security and disease control. TotallyMJ/Shutterstock.com

CRISPR isn’t just for editing human embryos, it also works for plants and bugs: 5 essential reads

You may not agree with using the gene-editing tool, CRISPR, to alter the DNA of human babies. But what about using it to engineer plants? Or wipe out one of the world’s most dangerous creatures?
A female Anopheles stephensi mosquito bites a human to get a blood meal through its pointed proboscis. A droplet of blood is expelled from the abdomen after having engorged itself. Jim Gathany/Wikimedia Commons

Using gene drives to control wild mosquito populations and wipe out malaria

Researchers are exploring genetic forms of population control called gene drives that spread traits faster that happens naturally. The goal is to curb mosquito-borne diseases like malaria.
View of Taichung City, Taiwan, behind a mosquito net. Alan Picard / Shutterstock.com

Opening up research labs with modified mosquitoes to the community

Genetically modified mosquitoes breed fear and suspicion, especially since the research happens behind closed doors, away from the public. Now scientists and architects are trying to change that model.
The mosquitoes that spread Japanese encephalitis are usually found in wetlands and drainage ditches, and will be out biting mostly at dawn and dusk. Bryon Lippincott/Flikr

What is Japanese encephalitis virus and how can I avoid it when I travel?

Japanese encephalitis virus is rare and doesn’t usually cause symptoms. But in a small proportion of cases it can result in long-term neurological impairment and death.
A hot summer will mean wetlands dry out faster than ever, so how will pest mosquitoes respond? Cameron Webb (NSW Health Pathology)

Will the arrival of El Niño mean fewer mosquitoes this summer?

The forecast arrival of El Niño may mean the east coast of Australia will experience an exceptionally hot and dry summer, but does this mean there will be fewer mosquitoes buzzing about?
Warmer temperatures could lead to more zones of the country that make good breeding sites for mosquitoes. Apichart Meesri / Shutterstock.com

Is climate change causing a rise in the number of mosquito and tick-borne diseases?

Is our changing climate making regions of the US more suitable for ticks and mosquitoes that spread diseases? Or is the climate changing human physiology making us more vulnerable?

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