Some mosquitoes may be overcoming their aversion to DEET repellent
By
The Economist
Looks the part, but the middle's still raw. Chew with caution.
Summary
DEET, the gold standard mosquito repellent, works largely because mosquitoes find it unpleasant. However, new research suggests some mosquitoes may be overcoming this aversion and learning to associate DEET with food, potentially reducing its effectiveness over time.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledDEET is the gold standard for preventing mosquito bites.
Although there is some debate over precisely how it works to ward off the insects, most researchers agree that a key part of its effectiveness is unpleasantness—the bugs just hate to be around it.
Effective as it is, however, some mosquitoes seem capable of getting over their revulsion.
This has led to the speculation that the insects might be getting used to the chemical.
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