An international team discovered malaria-carrying Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes respond to female wingbeat sounds, potentially enabling new traps for improved malaria control.
An international team led by the University of Washington found that male Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes, a significant malaria carrier, respond to the sound of female wingbeats by activating their vision to search for mates. This discovery could help develop improved control techniques for malaria by creating traps that exploit the auditory and visual cues used by these mosquitoes. The strong link between males hearing the female-like buzz and moving toward an object in their field of vision may open up a new route for mosquito control, including a new generation of traps specific to the Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria.
August 30, 2024
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