Insects, features and articles | Educational Science

Jul 10, 2006

How Mosquitoes Find a Mate: Lots of Whining

The high-pitched whine of a mosquito might drive you nuts, but it's music to the ears of these little pests. Scientists have long known that male mosquitoes key in on the buzzing of females to help them find a partner. But a new study finds that female mosquitoes, despite their...

Jul 18, 2007

How Mosquitoes Walk on Water and Up Walls

Mosquitoes may be annoying, disease-carrying, blood-sucking pests, but they have a pair of talents that no other animal has: They can both walk up walls and walk on water, and a new study reveals exactly how they manage these circus feats. Other insects, such as flies, can also adeptly scale...

Nov 3, 2008

Smaller Mosquitoes More Dangerous

Big or small, mosquitoes are pesky. But it's the little ones that you really need to watch out for, a new study finds. Scientists measured mosquitoes' wings, then fed them blood that packed the dengue virus (which causes dengue fever, a disease found in the tropics and Africa). The smaller...

Dec 31, 2009

Mosquitoes Harmonize to Find a Mate

The annoying buzz of a mosquito means a lot more to the bugs than you might imagine. Mosquitoes rely on harmonizing the songs produced by their wing beats to find an appropriate mate — most importantly one of the same species and, of course, the opposite sex. Everyone must be...

Jan 22, 2010

Why Human Blood Drives Mosquitoes Wild

This Behind the Scenes article was provided to LiveScience in partnership with the National Science Foundation. When the time came for chemical ecologist Walter Leal to test whether humans make a natural odor that attracts mosquitoes, Leal himself was the first to volunteer. I measured my own levels, Leal said....

Sep 13, 2010

How Mosquitoes Find a Tasty Host

Prepare to be bugged out of your minds, citizens of Earth, because I've got a new scheme that I’m just itching to unleash: I'm going to attract a swarm of bloodthirsty mosquitoes to the next Nobel Prize ceremony, and watch as the dignitaries scratch themselves crazy. Aren't I repellent? But...

Oct 21, 2010

A Malaria Mosquito Is Becoming Two Species in a Hurry

A strain of African mosquito that carries the deadly malaria parasite is splitting into two species faster than expected, according to a new study. The finding helps explain why the insect can survive in environments spanning from humid rainforests to arid savannas. The mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, is one of the...

Dec 30, 2010

Trash-Can Trap Tricks (and Kills) Pregnant Mosquitoes

A trap that lures mosquito moms-to-be could help stop the spread of dengue fever, researchers at Tulane University report. The trap, a gallon-size bucket, contains a mixture of chemicals that convince female mosquitoes that it is a perfect spot to lay eggs. But once the mosquitoes fly into it, they...

Feb 25, 2011

To a Mosquito, You Are the Stinkiest Species

You may think you give off less odor than your dog, but to some species of mosquito, you're the smelliest game in town. It's long been known that some mosquitoes are tiny human-seeking missiles, homing in on the odor of our sweat. The species that transmits malaria(Anopheles gambiae), and the...

Jun 2, 2011

Buzz Killer: Special Smells Keep Mosquitoes at Bay

A whiff of one of three newly identified scents can send a mosquito into a bout of woozy bewilderment, scientists find. These odor molecules, they say, may stop the pests from biting and transmitting malaria and other diseases to humans. 'These chemicals offer powerful advantages as potential tools for reducing...

Jun 4, 2012

Gallery: Drop-Dodging Mosquitoes

Drop-Dodging Mosquito (Image credit: Hu Laboratory for Biolocomotion, Georgia Tech)A mosquito among water droplets. Thanks to their low mass, mosquitoes can survive hits from droplets 50 times their own weight. Crushing Blow (Image credit: Hu Laboratory for Biolocomotion, Georgia Tech)Being hit by a drop on a solid surface is fatal...

Jun 4, 2012

How Tiny Mosquitoes Survive Raindrops' Blow

A mosquito getting hit by a raindrop is the equivalent of a human getting hit by a car. But new research finds that these bloodsucking insects have no trouble absorbing the blow. Mosquitoes weigh so little that raindrops don't splash on them, researchers report Monday (June 4) in the journal...

Aug 23, 2012

What's the Best Way to Avoid Mosquito Bites?

As the West Nile outbreak grows, many may be looking for the best ways to avoid mosquito bites. If you decide to try insect repellents, Consumer Reports recommends repellents with DEET as the active ingredient. In the company's 2010 rankings, four insect repellents with DEET tied for the top score:...

Mar 8, 2013

Gallinippers! Monster Mosquitoes Poised to Strike Florida

One of the most ferocious insects you've ever heard of — it's the size of a quarter and its painful bite has been compared to being knifed — is set to invade Florida this summer. The Sunshine State, already home to man-eating sinkholes, invading Burmese pythons, swarming sharks, tropical storms...

May 29, 2013

Mutant Mosquitoes Lose Ability to Sniff Out Humans

Campers, take comfort: Scientists have found a way to genetically alter mosquitoes so they lose their preference for the scent of humans. The pesky insects hunt down their hosts using odor cues, body heat and exhaled carbon dioxide. The mosquito species Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti strongly prefer human odors,...