The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, one of the most common species in the U.S., love everything about humans. They love our body heat and odors, which enable them to find us. They love to feed on our blood to make their eggs mature. They even love all the standing water that we create. Uncovered containers, old tires and junk piles collect water and are perfect for breeding.
And with the advent of warm weather across the southern U.S., mosquito breeding season is already underway.
On supporting science journalism
If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Given all the options that Aedes females have in urban areas, how do these cosmopolitan mosquitoes find the perfect site to lay their eggs? Scientists previously thought this was a solitary act, but now research shows that female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes – the main vector in the U.S. for diseases such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya and other viruses – can rely on one another for good reviews of breeding sites.
Our Laboratory of Tropical Genetics at Florida International University discovered a new behavior in which these mosquitoes work together to find suitable egg-laying sites. These findings, recently published in Communications Biology, show that mosquitoes regulate their own population density at breeding sites – an insight that could inform future mosquito control efforts.
Where and why female mosquitoes cluster
Scientists know that female mosquitoes can be picky when it comes to where they lay their eggs. Aedes aegypti look for human-made breeding sites with relatively clean water, such as birdbaths, tires or even water-filled trash. But given two equal choices, you might expect them to spread evenly…
Read the full article here
