An international team of scientists has presented an unusual and encouraging biological solution to the long-standing problem of mosquito control. By tapping into insects’ attraction to floral nectar, the researchers developed a modified Metarhizium fungus that releases longifolene, a scent attractive to mosquitoes.
When a mosquito comes into contact with the fungus, it becomes infected and dies within a few days. The development is safe for people, does not affect beneficial insects, and does not pollute the environment. Moreover, it leaves mosquitoes with no easy way out: to avoid the trap, they would have to give up floral nectar, without which they simply cannot survive.
The fungus can be placed in special containers at home or outdoors. It releases the scent for several months and proved up to 100% effective even in the presence of other odors. Production is cheap and eco-friendly — it can be grown on agricultural waste.
Against the backdrop of mosquito resistance to pesticides and the rise of tropical diseases due to climate change, this bio-tool could become an important contribution to the fight against malaria and dengue. Such a fungus would not be out of place on a balcony or near a tent!
