Algorithm Shows That Under the Right Conditions, Mosquitoes Can Even Flourish in Winter
Published:13 Dec.2021 Source:Texas A&M University
With an impressive capability of drinking up to three times their body weight in a single blood meal, mosquitoes are formidable parasites. But to reach adulthood, mosquitoes need to be raised in environments where the temperatures are conducive to their breeding, growth and development.
In a new study in the journal Scientific Reports, Texas A&M University researchers have developed a mathematical model based on machine learning to precisely predict the local or microclimatic temperature within the breeding grounds of the Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, carriers of the chikungunya and dengue viruses. Their algorithm also reveals that even in winter, the temperature may be warm enough in certain breeding grounds to allow mosquitoes to grow and thrive.