Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are annoying at best, but did you know that they also hitchhike in your car without even chipping in for fuel? Citizen science through the Mosquito Alert app has led to the discovery that the distribution of mosquitoes rapidly expands aided by human transportation in our vehicles. Originating in Spain, Mosquito Alert is a platform aimed at uniting community members with scientists and city managers in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases. As shown on Episode 3 of THE CROWD & THE CLOUD, it’s easy for anyone and everyone to participate, simply by reporting possible findings of tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus). You can also report their breeding sites, such as standing water in a fountain or a pile of trash. The photo that you report, with its GPS coordinates, is sent to a team of experts which verify the species and classify the image before making it public on a world map. This information is then used by scientists studying the distribution of mosquitoes and, in Barcelona, by public health authorities to guide eradication efforts.

Since 2016, Mosquito Alert data has also been used to detect the arrival of the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), a close relative of the tiger mosquito and responsible for the most recent Zika virus epidemic. These two species of mosquito can transmit diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika. Highly adaptable (as well as highly annoying!), these mosquitoes are found in both urban and rural settings, indoors and outdoors. Your contribution will be added to a growing database used for research, monitoring, and control of the tiger mosquito and the yellow fever mosquito.

http://www.mosquitoalert.com/en/