Why Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Blue Colour?
WouterDespite the fact that mosquitoes have been shown to be attracted to certain colors, scientists aren’t sure why they do so. However, they have found that certain odors and bodily cues can trigger the insect’s response to color.
In one study, a female Aedes aegypti was exposed to a variety of visual cues. She was then subjected to a CO2 exposure. This increased her sensitivity to long-wavelength visual cues.
Several mosquito species showed a preference for specific colors. The study was published in Nature Communications. It was led by biologists at the University of Washington. They used 3D tracking technology to study the mosquitoes’ behavior. The researchers showed the insects different colored spots against different backgrounds.
Mosquitoes are attracted to red, orange, black, and cyan hues. These colors provide the insect with information on the size, shape, and distance of objects in the environment. They are also able to detect body heat, sweat, and carbon dioxide. This combination of sight, scent, and heat is responsible for the insect’s ability to detect a potential host.
Previous research has shown that mosquitoes have a scent receptor that is receptive to carbon dioxide. However, scientists aren’t sure if the smell of CO2 alone triggers the insect’s attraction to color.
This study suggests that mosquitoes do perceive color like humans. The opsin-2 gene is highly expressed in the mosquito retina, and it is tuned to the green to orange band of the visual spectrum.
