Mosquito larvae vs. dragonfly larvae skin#

Thousands of mosquito species feed on the blood of various hosts ⁠- vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and some fish along with some invertebrates, primarily other arthropods.

Mosquito larvae vs. dragonfly larvae skin#

The adult females of most species have tube-like mouthparts (called a proboscis) that can pierce the skin of a host and feed on blood, which contains protein and iron needed to produce eggs. These larvae are important food sources for many freshwater animals, such as dragonfly nymphs, many fish, and some birds such as ducks. Eggs are laid on the water surface they hatch into motile larvae that feed on aquatic algae and organic material. The mosquito life cycle consists of egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Mosquitoes have a slender segmented body, one pair of wings, one pair of halteres, three pairs of long hair-like legs, and elongated mouthparts. The word 'mosquito' (formed by mosca and diminutive -ito) is Spanish for 'little fly'. The researchers are also conducting gut content analyses by examining the DNA in faecal pellets of adult and larval dragonflies.Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are approximately 3,600 species of small flies comprising the family Culicidae (from the Latin culex meaning ' gnat'). The number of mosquito larvae introduced to each enclosure is also varied to establish whether the feeding behaviour of dragonflies changes with different prey densities. The researchers compare different species of dragonflies and the number of mosquito larvae each can eat over 24 hours, to determine which might be better at controlling mosquito populations. Predation rate experiments are also being conducted by feeding mosquito larvae to dragonfly larvae in controlled environments. “To further optimise dragonfly habitats, the NUS-NParks research team is collecting data on the diversity of dragonflies of over 25 sites and comparing their different habitat parameters and aquatic biodiversity,” said Dr Low Bi Wei, a research fellow at the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS. Waterside vegetation also offers them shelter and refuge. The emergent, submerged and floating aquatic plants provide dragonflies with places to perch, roost and lay eggs. In Kent Ridge Park, floating platforms were constructed and planted with vegetation. In Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, a canal was converted into a naturalised river, which boosted the diversity of submerged and emergent macrophytes (a type of aquatic plant) in and around the ponds. Hence, aside from the effort at Jurong Lake Gardens, NParks has also carried out habitat enhancement in parks such as Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and Kent Ridge Park, said Mr Ngiam. Pest control methods such as fogging also kill them. While there has been no evidence of a population decline, they can be adversely impacted by water pollution, habitat loss and climate change. Singapore is home to some 124 native species of dragonflies and damselflies. This way, we can bring the benefits of the project closer to our community for all to enjoy.” With the knowledge gained from the study, we would like to see dragonflies and the enhanced biodiversity being introduced to more places eventually. Mr Lim Hock Chuan, Chief Executive of Temasek Foundation Ecosperity said: “As a champion of sustainability, the Foundation supports the goals of this project which are to improve biodiversity and bring dragonflies back into our urban environment. The first three months of 2020 have seen over 4,000 cases of dengue fever – about twice the number in the same period last year.

This would be a critical breakthrough, given the high number of dengue cases here. They are also investigating habitat factors to determine those that will maximise dragonfly diversity. As the country faces yet another dengue fever outbreak, dragonflies in urban areas could be a natural solution to keep Aedes aegypti mosquito populations in check.Ī team of researchers from the National Parks Board (NParks) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) are collaborating on a study to assess the potential for dragonflies to act as natural pest control against insects such as midges and mosquitoes. That and their ravenous appetite for small insects, including mosquitoes, have drawn the interest of researchers in Singapore. Dragonflies are such skilled hunters that one study put their success rate at 90 to 95 per cent. They swoop in at high speeds to capture their prey with their legs, then devour them while flying.