freshare.net
They can detract from an otherwise perfect time in the Ozarks outdoors. Plus, diseases like West Nile and malaria are spread by mosquitoes. We spray ourselves up to ward them off and towns fog the air we breath in an effort to kill off the thirsty pests. But new research from a university in Israel has uncovered a different, more natural means, of controlling mosquito populations.
Prof. Leon Blaustein of the University of Haifa led a worldwide team of researchers that isolated chemical compounds released by mosquitoes’ natural aquatic predators. In the wild, mosquitoes detect the presence of these chemicals and avoid laying eggs in order to save
themselves and their progeny from being eaten.
Ecologists and biologists have long known that many species which are preyed upon can detect the presence of their predators through chemical signals, but the identity of theses signals has been difficult to pinpoint. Blaustein’s research compared chemicals in water occupied by a mosquito predator that is known to release them with water occupied by a predator that does not. Eventually, the team was able to isolate and identify the key chemical components.
Knowing the chemical identities can not only facilitate scientists’ understanding of predator-prey relationships, it can also lead to the development of eco-friendly alternatives for mosquito control.
Applying compounds that mimic these natural chemicals to mosquito breeding sites would likely result in far fewer mosquitoes in the immediate area and, if used widely, lower mosquito populations in general.
Blaustein stated, “We hope this breakthrough will spur further research to chemically determine other effective predator-released chemicals, particularly ones that are long lasting and then tested for their efficacy.”