Mosquitoes are more than an annoying pest; they spread deadly diseases. In fact, mosquito-borne illnesses kill hundreds of thousands of people per year. This is why a team from the University of Maryland developed a floral-scented fungus that tricks mosquitoes into approaching, and then it kills them.
Attracting Mosquitoes To A Deadly Plant
It might not be well known, but mosquitoes love flowers and actually need them to survive. The nectar is food for them, so they are attracted to the scent.
Because of this fact, scientists were able to engineer a new strain of Metarhizium fungus that smells like a flower but holds a deadly surprise.
“After observing that some types of fungi could trick mosquitoes into thinking they were flowers, we realized we could turbo-charge the attraction by engineering fungi to…more
Source www.theweather.com
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