Researchers Study How Mosquitoes Sniff Out Their Victims

Published July 17, 2015

New research suggests mosquitoes track down something to bite using a sequence of three cues: smell, then sight, and finally heat, BBC reports.

Biologists recorded the movement of hungry mosquitoes inside a wind tunnel.

The insects were instantly attracted to a plume of CO2, much like a human breath; after sniffing this gas they would also home in on a black spot.

Finally, over much shorter distances, the mosquitoes were also drawn towards warmth.

The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, build on previous evidence that smell is crucial for mosquitoes to pinpoint their next meal.

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Source: BBC