Phys.org October 11, 2022 With the help of a 3D printer, researchers in Germany encapsulated the active ingredient IR3535, designed to repel mosquitoes, and formed it into the desired shape, such as a ring, or a bracelet. The item can be worn, and it releases the agent for a long time. The basic idea is that the insect repellent continuously evaporates and forms a barrier for insects. Mosquito sprays containing IR3535 are very gentle on the skin and have been used all over the world for many years. The rate at which the insect repellent evaporates depends on many different […]
Tag Archives: Mosquitoes
Scientists engineer mosquitoes that can’t spread malaria
Phys.org September 21, 2022 An international team of researchers (UK, USA – industry) has genetic modification that causes mosquitoes to produce compounds in their guts that stunt the growth of parasites, that are unlikely to reach the mosquitoes’ salivary glands and pass it on before the insects die. The technique reduced the possibility of malaria spread in a lab setting, and if proven safe and effective in real-world settings it could be a powerful new tool to help eliminate malaria. It can be coupled with existing “gene drive” technology to spread the modification and drastically cut malaria transmission. Only around […]
California’s first lab-grown mosquitoes may take flight—stirring controversy
Phys.org March 15, 2022 A biotech firm is seeking permission to release 2 million genetically modified male mosquitoes, with a “kill switch” built into their DNA, into the open air of California. When they mate with wild insects, their offspring die, causing an eventual collapse of the population. They are targeting swarms of the mosquito, first detected in Los Angeles County in 2011, which have since spread northward into 20 California counties. Unlike California’s native mosquitoes which emerge at dusk, these black-and-white-striped invaders hunt for blood during the day, when people are outside. They transmit potentially fatal Zika, dengue, yellow […]
Mosquito-resistant clothing prevents bites in trials
Phys.org July 13, 2021 An international team of researchers (USA – North Carolina State University, Germany) has developed a mathematical model for fabric barriers that resist bites from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes based on textile physical structure and no insecticides. The model was derived from mosquito morphometrics and analysis of mosquito biting behavior. Woven filter fabrics, precision polypropylene plates, and knitted fabrics were used for model validation. Based on the model predictions, prototype knitted textiles and garments were developed that prevented mosquito biting, and comfort testing showed the garments to possess superior thermophysiological properties. The fabrics provided a three-times greater bite […]
Chemists create new crystal form of insecticide, boosting its ability to fight mosquitoes and malaria
Phys.org October 12, 2020 A team of researchers in the US (New York University, University of Puerto Rico) heated the commercially available form of deltamethrin to 110°C/230°F for a few minutes and let it cool to room temperature; this resulted in a new crystallized form of deltamethrin, composed of long, tiny fibers radiating from a single point. When mosquitoes step on insecticide crystals, the insecticide is absorbed through their feet and, if effective, kills the mosquitoes. In tests the new form was up to 12 times more effective against mosquitoes than the existing form. The new form also remained stable—and […]