Description
Mosquito Killing Fungi may be the answer to eradicating malaria in parts of the world. Scientists in the Netherlands have discovered that mosquitoes are highly sensitive to fungi.
LETHAL FUNGUS:
One particular fungus, beauveria bassiana, is lethal for mosquitoes, but harmless to humans and other animals. Experts are now using spores of this fungus to create a new anti-mosquito product.
The war on mosquitoes is mainly fought using insecticides. They are toxic and expensive. But at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, scientists believe they have come up with a revolutionary new weapon – fungus.
BIG TESTS AHEAD:
The fungus lives in the ground all around us. Its spores can be harvested and stored easily and safely. All a mosquito has to do is touch the fungus and it soon begins its deadly work. Results so far look promising. The next step is to do bigger tests. The team want to try out their idea in hundreds of homes in an area rife with malaria.