Study Reveals How Mosquitoes Use Visual Cues and Carbon Dioxide to Target Humans

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:01:00 +0200

New research from MIT and Georgia Tech has shed light on how mosquitoes locate human targets. By analyzing over 53 million data points collected from 20 experiments, scientists have created a dynamic mathematical model that accurately predicts mosquito flight paths. The study demonstrates that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are initially drawn to dark colors, revealing a significant role for visual stimuli even in the absence of wind. Further experiments involving carbon dioxide emission found that mosquitoes slow down and exhibit erratic behavior when near a CO2 source. The researchers discovered a synergistic effect: when visual cues and carbon dioxide are combined, mosquitoes circle the target and concentrate significantly more than with either stimulus alone, suggesting complex sensory interactions within the mosquito's brain. The research also identified two distinct flight modes: an active exploratory phase and an idle preparatory phase. This model can predict mosquito density and has