Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Mosquitoes Insensitive to DEET

DEET is a chemical found in most bug spray. It repels mosquitoes by mimicking plant chemicals. When female mosquitoes need to fertilize their eggs, they are on the lookout for blood not plants. Therefore, a DEET coated human does not smell like a tasty snack. Scientists have recently found DEET insensitive mosquitoes. This trait can be passed down genetically to their offspring. Click here to read more on the DEET insensitive mosquito.