Mosquitoes Beginning To Ignore DEET Repellent

Copper Nikus writes "An article at the BBC makes a shocking claim about mosquitoes. It appears some individual insects in the wild have developed the ability to ignore the very popular DEET repellent after a first exposure. From the article: 'To investigate why this might be happening, the researchers attached electrodes to the insects' antenna. Dr Logan explained: "We were able to record the response of the receptors on the antenna to Deet, and what we found was the mosquitoes were no longer as sensitive to the chemical, so they weren't picking it up as well. "There is something about being exposed to the chemical that first time that changes their olfactory system - changes their sense of smell - and their ability to smell Deet, which makes it less effective."'"

Comments

Next step?

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh great, the next step is anyone with DEET gets swarmed by these little bastards. Think about it, once they learn it's not that bad, where else do they smell DEET but fresh blood sources?

It's the will of God!

[sv_libertarian]

This only proves that the ways and will of God is ineffable. To even suggest it's evolution in action is blasphemy.

Re:It's the will of God!

[rrhal]

Hold on now, I have uncontestable proof that God has eff'ed me over many times.

Mary, don't exaggerate; it was just the one time.

Patent "Natural Selection"

[Press2ToContinue]

Then charge the mosquitoes a license fee to evolve.

That should stop them.

Re:Umm, yeah

[Anonymous Coward]

you shut your devil whore mouth

Re:Umm, yeah

[countach]

I must be evolving too, because I can't smell my aftershave as much when I've got used to it.