Can Mosquitoes See in the Dark?
WouterSpectral preferences of mosquitoes are well documented in honeybees, but little is known about the visual ecology of other mosquito species. University of California, Irvine School of Medicine researchers studied the behavior of three types of mosquitoes.
To determine the specific wavelengths that attract and repel mosquitoes, a team of researchers used an experimental system. They placed the mosquitoes in a semi-cylindrical visual arena, 10 cm diameter. They used a digital monochromator to measure the transmitted wavelengths. The results indicate that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes had a specific preference for long wavelengths. Specifically, the female mosquitoes strongly preferred 660 nm visual objects.
Aedes aegypti is a diurnal insect and is active during the dawn and dusk periods. The mosquito uses its visual, olfactory, and thermal senses to detect and zero in on prey. Compared to human vision, it has poor resolution and a lack of detail. However, it can still see in the dark.
Aedes aegypti has previously shown a specific preference for visual objects that are in the 450 to 600 nm range. Other species, such as Cx. quinquefasciatus, do not have a preference for this wavelength range.
The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine researchers tested the visual preference of Aedes aegypti and other mosquito species at low light levels. They found that individual mosquitoes released into a CO2 tunnel produced nine flight trajectories during one hour. Their behavioral responses increased significantly in comparison to individual mosquitoes released into air-only conditions.
