When a mosquito lands on your finger, swatting it away requires your brain to calculate its location in the external space, which depends on the body's 3D posture. Two competing hypotheses explain how the brain solves this challenge: the integration hypothesis, where tactile signals are transformed into spatial coordinates by integrating touch and posture information; and the cueing hypothesis, where touch merely cues a location on the body whose position is specified via proprioception. Adjudicating between these hypotheses is nearly impossible without modeling the latent factors underlying somatosensory spatial perception. We fill this gap in the present study. We first formalized each hypothesis from a Bayesian perspective: If touch merely triggers proprioceptive localization (cueing hypothesis), tactile and proprioceptive localization should rely on the same Bayesian computations, with identical prior expectations about the mosquito's spatial location; If they involve distinct Bayesian computational processes (integration hypothesis), distinct prior expectations may shape tactile and proprioceptive localization. To test these predictions, we had nineteen participants localize either proprioceptive or tactile targets on their fingertips. We then fit their data with several Bayesian models of each hypothesis. Models allowing different prior distributions between modalities provided the best fit for most participants, with 17 out of 19 participants showing significantly different prior distributions across modalities. These provide strong computational evidence that tactile and proprioceptive localization rely on distinct computational mechanisms, a conclusion that has important implications for how we understand these everyday behaviors and their neural mechanisms.

When a mosquito lands on your finger, swatting it away requires your brain to calculate its location in the external space, which depends on the body's 3D posture. Two competing hypotheses explain how the brain solves this challenge: the integration hypothesis, where tactile signals are transformed into spatial coordinates by integrating touch and posture information; and the cueing hypothesis, where touch merely cues a location on the body whose position is specified via proprioception. Adjudicating between these hypotheses is nearly impossible without modeling the latent factors underlying somatosensory spatial perception. We fill this gap in the present study. We first formalized each hypothesis from a Bayesian perspective: If touch merely triggers proprioceptive localization (cueing hypothesis), tactile and proprioceptive localization should rely on the same Bayesian computations, with identical prior expectations about the mosquito's spatial location; If they involve distinct Bayesian computational processes (integration hypothesis), distinct prior expectations may shape tactile and proprioceptive localization. To test these predictions, we had nineteen participants localize either proprioceptive or tactile targets on their fingertips. We then fit their data with several Bayesian models of each hypothesis. Models allowing different prior distributions between modalities provided the best fit for most participants, with 17 out of 19 participants showing significantly different prior distributions across modalities. These provide strong computational evidence that tactile and proprioceptive localization rely on distinct computational mechanisms, a conclusion that has important implications for how we understand these everyday behaviors and their neural mechanisms.

Mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, continue to pose a significant global health threat, infecting millions of people annually. Yet current control efforts face growing challenges, driven by rising insecticide resistance and the limited availability of effective vaccines. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern mosquito reproduction has become essential to addressing this public health crisis.

The cytochrome P450 enzymes of the CYP4G subfamily are some of the most enigmatic insect P450s. The dipterans with sequenced genomes have two CYP4G paralogs. In Drosophila melanogaster, CYP4G1 is highly expressed in the oenocytes and catalyzes the last enzymatic step in the biosynthesis of cuticular hydrocarbons. In contrast, CYP4G15 is expressed in the brain glial cells, but its function is unknown. The Aedes aegypti genome encodes two CYP4Gs: CYP4G36 (ortholog of DmCYP4G1) and CYP4G35 (ortholog of DmCYP4G15). Here, we show that CYP4G35 is highly expressed in mosquito antennae, and the RNAi knockdown of CYP4G35 results in delayed host-seeking. Ae. aegypti CYP4G knockout lines confirmed delayed host-seeking behavior in CYP4G35 knockout females. Proteomics analysis of CYP4G35 knockout females also corroborates the physiological findings and reveals upregulation of proteins related to olfaction and other CYP4Gs, indicating a compensatory response to the absence of CYP4G35. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to localize CYP4G35, demonstrating its expression in the sensilla lymph of the antennae and the tip of the proboscis. CYP4G35 and CYP4G36 fusion proteins with cytochrome P450 reductase demonstrated that, unlike CYP4G36, CYP4G35 lacks an oxidative decarbonylase function. Together, our data support a novel function of CYP4G35 in modulating olfactory response.

Mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, continue to pose a significant global health threat, infecting millions of people annually. Yet current control efforts face growing challenges, driven by rising insecticide resistance and the limited availability of effective vaccines. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern mosquito reproduction has become essential to addressing this public health crisis.

The transmission of malaria by the Anopheles cruzii mosquito in the South and Southeast of Brazil was so alarming in the 1940s—with approximately 4,000 cases per 100,000 people—that the disease became known as bromeliad malaria. This is because the Kerteszia subgenus of the mosquito, which transmits the disease in the Atlantic Forest, develops only in bromeliads, plants that accumulate water and maintain conditions favorable for the development of this and other species.

Urban greening helps address urbanization challenges, but it may also favor mosquito species, vectors of pathogens causing human diseases. This study examines the relationship between urban vegetation and the presence and abundance of Aedes albopictus in Montpellier, the second greenest city of France, while accounting for meteorology, microclimate, air quality, human socio-demography, and landscape. From May to October 2023, adult mosquitoes were collected monthly in urban parks, residential...

The transmission of malaria by the Anopheles cruzii mosquito in the South and Southeast of Brazil was so alarming in the 1940s—with approximately 4,000 cases per 100,000 people—that the disease became known as bromeliad malaria. This is because the Kerteszia subgenus of the mosquito, which transmits the disease in the Atlantic Forest, develops only in bromeliads, plants that accumulate water and maintain conditions favorable for the development of this and other species.

People who live in the tropical areas where Aedes aegypti mosquitoes reside have probably known for centuries, or even millennia—thanks to their itchy bites—that the mosquitoes hunt most often at dawn and dusk. A new study offers scientific proof of that hunting behavior, and new insight into the biological mechanism behind it. It also offers a potential path to reducing bites and helping stop the spread of deadly, mosquito-borne disease.

Each year, hundreds of millions of people are sickened by diseases that are transmitted through mosquito bites, including dengue, Zika, and malaria. Mosquito biting does not occur uniformly throughout the day and peak biting times follow species-specific patterns. While host-associated cues, like carbon dioxide (CO(2)), behaviorally activate human-biting mosquitoes to search for a host, the mechanisms that regulate these responses throughout the day remain poorly understood. Here, we introduce...

Mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, including the invasive Aedes albopictus, are responsible for the transmission of arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. Their global expansion has intensified public health concerns, while the efficacy of insecticide-based control is declining due to resistance and environmental risks. These limitations have increased interest in odor-baited traps as complementary tools for surveillance and population reduction. Yet, their performance in the field...

Our work aims to study the allelopathic, insecticidal, and repellent activities of the essential oil (EO) extracted from the leaves of Laurus nobilis. The chemical composition of the EO was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The herbicidal effect was tested on Hordeum vulgare, Raphanus sativus, and Lactuca sativa. Fumigant and repellent activity bioassays against the stored grain insect Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) were investigated in vitro. In addition, molecular...

Background Reliable tools are needed to control opportunistic outdoor biting and resting malaria vectors that remain beyond the reach of indoor targeted interventions. The attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) have demonstrated effectiveness in some settings but have shown limited impact in other areas, likely due to differences in mosquito species preferences and the presence of competing natural sugar sources. However, these factors remain poorly understood and understudied. We evaluated sugar-feeding behaviour of Anopheline mosquitoes in a sugarcane plantation area of Chikwawa, Malawi, to generate additional field data that could enhance the efficacy and design of sugar-based vector control tools tailored for malaria endemic regions such as Malawi. Methods Using three collection tools, CDC Light traps; Prokopack aspirator and the barrier screen, we collected 187 adult anophelines from the Illovo sugar plantations. Collected mosquitoes were subjected to cold anthrone tests in the laboratory to assess the presence of plant sugars in their gut. Additionally, 810 adult Anopheles gambiae s.l, reared in the insectary from wild caught larvae, were exposed in an olfactory-driven choice experiment to identify the most attractive available sugar source in the area. Sugar sources included guavas, melon, bananas, mango, marula and sugarcane. Results Over 40% (n=74) of the collected Anopheles mosquitoes- including An. gambiae s.l, An. funestus, An. coustani and An. tenebrous were found to have fed on natural sugar sources. For the sugar attractiveness tests for An. gambiae s.l, guava was found to be twice as attractive (IRR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.49-2.62, p < 0.001) as sugarcane (our reference fruit), followed by banana (IRR= 1.68, 95% CI: 1.26-2.24, P < 0.001), then mango, and melon (IRR= 1.49, 95% CI: 1.11-2.01, P= 0.008) and (IRR=1.45, 95% CI: 1.08-1.96, P= 0.014) respectively. Conclusion Sugar feeding is a key activity for Anopheles mosquitoes and presents a potential target for control efforts. In this setting with abundant sugarcane, guava was identified as the most attractive sugar source for An. gambiae s.l, followed by banana, mango, and melon, with sugarcane being the least attractive. Understanding local sugar source preferences can help tailor novel intervention strategies to specific environmental contexts.

University of Queensland researchers have captured the first high-resolution images of the yellow fever virus (YFV), a potentially deadly viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that affects the liver. The research was published in Nature Communications.

In experiments, researchers showed that the disease-spreading insects couldn’t resist the sweet smell of a fungus that infected and killed them.

The female Aedes aegypti mosquito's remarkable ability to hunt humans and transmit pathogens relies on her unique biology. Here, we present the Aedes aegypti Mosquito Cell Atlas, a comprehensive single-nucleus RNA sequencing dataset of more than 367,000 nuclei from 19 dissected tissues of adult female and male Aedes aegypti, providing cellular-level resolution of mosquito biology. We identify novel cell types and expand our understanding of sensory neuron organization of chemoreceptors across...

Female Aedes mosquitoes signal that copulation can proceed by subtly extending their genitalia

CONCLUSIONS: Upon infection with Plasmodium, the volatile odor profile emitted from the skin of mice undergoes alterations, resulting in increased attractiveness to mosquitoes. This phenomenon may be attributed to parasite-induced changes in the skin microbiota.

Malaria, which is transmitted primarily by bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes, is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that poses a serious threat to human health. Host body odor is a key factor to attract Anopheles mosquitoes. Upon Plasmodium infection, host body odors change, leading to increased attractiveness to female Anopheles mosquitoes; however, the underlying mechanisms remain clear. A recent study reported remarkable changes of skin flora and volatile substances in mice following...

CONCLUSIONS: Upon infection with Plasmodium, the volatile odor profile emitted from the skin of mice undergoes alterations, resulting in increased attractiveness to mosquitoes. This phenomenon may be attributed to parasite-induced changes in the skin microbiota.

Malaria, which is transmitted primarily by bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes, is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that poses a serious threat to human health. Host body odor is a key factor to attract Anopheles mosquitoes. Upon Plasmodium infection, host body odors change, leading to increased attractiveness to female Anopheles mosquitoes; however, the underlying mechanisms remain clear. A recent study reported remarkable changes of skin flora and volatile substances in mice following...

It's bound to happen at a summer picnic, a peaceful walk in the woods or simply sitting in your backyard… a mosquito targets your blood for its next meal. You've been bitten. But how do mosquitoes find you?

The most dangerous animal in the world just got easier to study—and perhaps defeat one day. Researchers from Rockefeller University's Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, in collaboration with mosquito experts around the globe, have created the first-ever cellular atlas of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits more diseases than any other species of its kind.

It's bound to happen at a summer picnic, a peaceful walk in the woods or simply sitting in your backyard… a mosquito targets your blood for its next meal. You've been bitten. But how do mosquitoes find you?

Learn about vampire spiders and their love of human blood, which they're able to salvage from blood-carrying mosquitoes.