Dave Macchia
November 27, 2020
mosquito surveillance, Mosquitoes
Central Mass mosquitoes, mosquito, mosquito identification, mosquitoes
These days, there is an app for everything. In times past, you might have photographed a mosquito to identify it. Scientists are readying a new identification app, which doesn’t require you phone camera. It uses your phone’s microphone. Ingenuity has delivered a crowd-sourced method of mosquito identification, which can help determine the type of mosquitoes that are in your backyard. Over the years, mosquito studies have proved costly and time-consuming. Scientists usually trap and study mosquito species. A phone app is about to be released, which will allow us to help identify the types of mosquitoes we have flying around your home, by sound.
Dave Macchia
November 11, 2020
Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light, Mosquitoes
are mosquitoes attracted to light, how do mosquitoes use light, mosquitoes, what is the best way to control mosquitoes
Have you ever wondered why you still have mosquitoes, even though you have a bug zapper? Are mosquitoes attracted to light? While may bugs have a natural attraction to light, either for help in navigation or as a source of…
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Dave Macchia
October 23, 2020
Do mosquitoes have blood?, Mosquitoes
do mosquitoes have blood, hemolymph, mosquitoes
We all know how much mosquitoes love our blood. Last week I wrote about how they love the salty flavor of human blood. But do mosquitoes have blood? Mosquitoes are arachnids and invertebrates. Mosquitoes have blood – of sorts! Invertebrates…
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Dave Macchia
October 14, 2020
Mosquitoes, Mosquitoes Have Taste Buds
Aedes aegypti, mosquito taste buds, mosquito-borne illnesses, mosquitoes have taste buds
A new study on the Aedes aegypti could hold the key to reducing mosquito-borne illnesses. Mosquitoes have taste buds. Who knew? The Aedes aegypti is a nasty blood-sucker. Known as the yellow fever mosquito, this thirsty aerial invader is also responsible for the spread of dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika virus. Scientists have found that mosquitoes have taste buds, making the female mosquito able to differentiate between salty and sweet. What does human blood taste like? We are sweet and savory to the Aedes aegypti, which makes us much different from nectar. Human blood to mosquitoes, could be likened to a salt-rimmed margarita or a salted caramel cappuccino.
33social
October 2, 2020
Mosquitoes, Where do mosquitoes go in the winter?
do mosquitoes die in the winter, do mosquitoes migrate, when should i stop mosquito control, where do mosquitoes go in the winter
Do mosquitoes migrate when the weather begins to cool? Do they die? Where do mosquitoes go in the winter? The life cycle of a mosquito depends on the species, sex, and even the environment. For instance, male mosquitoes tend to have a shorter lifespan than females. Male mosquitoes usually mate once and die. Their lifespan is an average of one week. The female mosquito usually lives through three breeding cycles. They can lay eggs about every third day of their life. Depending on their mating schedule, female mosquitoes can live a couple of weeks or even a month. One study found that the West Nile mosquito species, Culex, survived longer in mild summer temperatures. Extreme temperatures saw shorter lifespans for both male and female Culex mosquitoes. What about wintertime temperatures?
Dave Macchia
September 18, 2020
EEE in 2020, Mosquito-Borne Illnesses, Mosquito-Borne Illnesses in 2020, West Nile virus in 2020, Zika virus in 2020
eee in 2020, mosquito-borne illnesses in 2020, west nile virus in 2020, zika virus in 2020
Summer is coming to a close. The most active mosquito season is also nearing its end. What has 2020 looked like for mosquito-borne illnesses? There has been such focus on COVID-19 in 2020, mosquito-born illnesses might not have been at the front of your mind. Even so, they remain a great threat to our health. We have seen Eastern equine encephalitis make an appearance again in 2020. As of September 9, the CDC reports there have been five confirmed cases of EEE in the United States. Three of those cases were in Massachusetts.
Dave Macchia
September 11, 2020
Is Malaria Still a Threat?, Malaria
can malaria be prevented, how many cases of malaria are reported in the united states, is malaria still a problem, is malaria still a threat, mosquito control, mosquito protection, who's at risk for contracting malaria
Malaria is a potentially fatal mosquito-borne illness with a long history. The parasites responsible for malaria infection were first identified around 1880. Since then, mosquitoes carrying these parasites have been found preserved in amber, believed to be 30,000,000 years old. Is malaria still a threat? Even though malaria was eliminated in the United States in the early 1950’s, it remains a threat in other parts of the world today. There were more than 400,000 known malaria deaths throughout the world in 2018. More than 90% of malaria deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dave Macchia
September 4, 2020
Do all mosquitoes bite humans?, Mosquitoes
do all mosquitoes bite humans?, do all mosquitoes bite?, female mosquitoes, male mosquitoes, mosquitoes
Mosquitoes! We go to war with these tiny blood suckers every warm season. Are all those annoying mosquitoes only females, or do all mosquitoes bite humans? Male mosquitoes do not bite humans or animals. They feed on nectar alone. If a male mosquito is close to you, it will simply be annoying. That said, male mosquitoes typically avoid contact with humans. They don’t need us after all. If you are experiencing swarms of mosquitoes, they are likely all female.
Dave Macchia
August 14, 2020
insecticide, mosquito repellent, mosquito sprays, natkatone
insecticide, mosquito control, mosquito repellent, mosquito spray
For the last few years, scientists have been trying to come up with new ways to eliminate dangerous, disease-carrying mosquitoes. Genetically modified mosquitoes have been released in some areas, because mosquitoes are developing a natural resistance to some repellents and insecticides. Enter the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent approval of nootkatone, a brand new mosquito repellent and destroyer. The EPA-registered seal of approval means that the new ingredient has been deemed safe for humans and pets, and can now be used to formulate insecticides and repellents. Nootkatone is gaining recognition for its effectiveness as a mosquito repellent, and because it smells like grapefruit.
Dave Macchia
August 7, 2020
special event mosquito yard spray, When should I have my yard sprayed for mosquitoes?
When should I have my yard sprayed for mosquitoes?
As we near closer to the fall season in Massachusetts, you might be asking yourself when it’s time to stop having your yard sprayed for mosquitoes. Since mosquitoes don’t come and go according to the seasonal calendar, it’s still time to have your yard sprayed. Mosquitoes actually operate on their own schedule. Weather dictates when they come and go. In Massachusetts, this means that the official mosquito season is April through mid to late October. Though mosquitoes really thrive in temperatures above 80°F, they are active in temperatures above 50°F. Even though the end of the summer season is in sight, mosquitoes haven’t gotten the memo.
