How do malaria mosquitoes swarm and mate? The functional biology of mating swarms

Malaria mosquitoes are world’s deadliest creatures. Despite our intensive vector-control efforts they still cause >400,000 human deaths each year. However, surprisingly little is known about the mechanisms that underlie their fecundity. Mosquitoes mate in-flight in complex 3D swarms of up to thousands of individuals of multiple sympatric species. It is thought that to avoid hybridization in such swarms, male and female conspecifics perform a mating dance by synchronizing their wingbeats. But interactions between freely-flying mosquitoes within a swarm have never been quantified.

Together, the aim is to collaboratively study swarming behavior in lab, semi-field and field conditions. This study will generate a new understanding of the functional neuro-mechanics of mating swarms, and provide crucial knowledge about the mechanisms that underlie the fecundity of malaria-vectors. Malaria mosquito will be used as our model organism because its fecundity is particularly depending on swarming dynamics, and malaria is the deadliest mosquito-borne disease. Therefore, the project outcomes will directly support the development of malaria-vector control strategies/methods, such as gene-drive, acoustic lures, and monitoring. Swarming is currently an important topic in aerial robotics research; this study will provide novel bio-inspiration for flight control strategies, systems and algorithms of such swarming robots.

For this, two main research methodologies will be developed:

1. Dedicated machine-vision-based videography systems for tracking up to 300 mosquitoes flying in a swarm. These systems will be used to study the biomechanics and behavior of multi-species swarms in lab, semi-field and field conditions.
2. Novel tethered-flight electrophysiological assays to record the neural responses to approaching conspecifics and allospecifics. By placing this system within a swarm, we will study the neural bases of mate-swarming behavior.

By using these systems with a collaborative, multidisciplinary research approach, the aim is to jointly answer four main research questions: Q1. How do mating-swarms form and keep their integrity? Q2. How do individual swarming mosquitoes recognize potential mates? Q3. How do swarming mosquitoes mate in-flight? Q4. How does mosquito swarm dynamics affect mating success and hybridization?

Vector Control

May 2021 — Apr 2024

Belgium
Burkina Faso
The Netherlands
United States