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Trends in Mosquito Control Techniques
Forget lions and sharks: When it comes to global health threats, the mosquito packs the deadliest punch. These tiny insects cause over 700,000 deaths per year. When you think of mosquito control, you might picture traditional methods like insecticides and larvicides. These techniques have helped safeguard our communities for decades, but today’s scientists are developing…
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How Is Gene Editing Used in Pest Control?
If Marvel made a movie about mosquitoes, the villain would be gene editing—and we’d be rooting for it. Invasive pests cost the United States up to $21 billion per year in economic damages and healthcare costs, with bed bugs being among the costliest to eradicate. There are only a few insecticides registered for the control…
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Protecting Pollinators: How to Use Insecticides Safely
Pests account for 20 to 40% of global crop losses each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s not just an economic issue — it’s a food security crisis that affects millions of people worldwide. Even on a smaller scale, backyard gardeners know the frustration of watching aphids destroy their carefully tended tomatoes…
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Vector-Borne Preparedness in Europe
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases worldwide, and Europe is not immune to their growing threat. Changes in climate, travel and urban life are creating more favorable conditions for disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies to thrive and spread. Across Europe, vector-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, West…
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How Climate Change Affects Insect Behavior, and What It Means for Us
If you’ve ever swatted away mosquitoes on a humid summer evening, you know the relief that winter brings when their buzzing fades. Now imagine sipping hot chocolate on a crisp holiday morning … only to find yourself swatting mosquitoes again. Wait, what? That can’t be right. Mosquitoes are supposed to give us a break during…
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Understanding the Insect Microbiome
Insects, like humans, have a rich microbiome that plays a crucial role in their digestive and overall health. This community of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea and protozoa, are known as “symbionts.” They work together to provide life-saving and species-perpetuating benefits to their hosts. Discovery and Importance While the human gut microbiome was first…
