The Mosquito
Mosquitos are small fly like insects that belong to the family Culicidae. Their lifecycle consists of four stages: 1. Eggs. 2. Larva. 3. Pupa. 4. Adults. These timeframe of these stages vary depending on individual species, temperature and moisture levels. It is the adult females that are the vector for malaria.
Mosquitos lay eggs on the surface of calm water, where they hatch after roughly 24 to 48 hours. Floating to the surface the larva breathe through air tubes that extend out of the water. They look like small hanging canes that wriggle when disturbed. After 7-10 days have passed the larva metamorphoses into the pupal stage. It is during this stage that the mosquito is developing the parts recognized in adults; the biting mouthparts, legs and wings. Finally after about a week the adult emerges at the waters surface where it needs to dry itself off before flying off.
Malaria is transmitted to humans by the bite of one of the many different species of mosquitos in the genus Anopheles, though only the female can transmit Plasmodium. While both sexes feed mainly on plant nectar, it is the female mosquitoes that also bite animals to obtain the protein in blood needed for egg production. Using a razor sharp, tube like structure called a proboscis, they pierce the skin and draw blood from a capillary. During this uptake, an infected mosquito transmits the parasite to the blood of the bite victim, which goes on to reproduce in the blood stream and leads to the disease symptoms.
We will grow mosquitos in class, allowing students to observe the lifecycle of the malarial vector. This will provide them with a better understanding for possible ways to combat new malarial infections.
Local vector control agencies can provide mosquito eggs for raising in the classroom, an alternative is to collect larvae from local water sources and observe the pupae and adult forms only. I plan to use an aquarium with a screen top to prevent the adult mosquitos from escaping into the environment. Using small nets or a vacuum bug sucker the adults can be captured and placed in small jars with dry ice to stun them for observation under a dissecting scope.
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