Link to DOI – 10.1101/pdb.top107658
published online March 7, 2023
Blood feeding is a critical event in the life cycle of female mosquitoes. In addition to providing nutrients
to the mosquito, blood feeding facilitates the transmission of parasites and viruses to hosts, potentially
having devastating health consequences. Our understanding of these short, yet important, bouts of
behavior is incomplete. How and where a mosquito decides to bite and the success of feeding can
influence the transmission of pathogens. A more thorough understanding of these processes may allow
the development of interventions that reduce or prevent infections. Here, we present an overview of
strategies for studying mosquito biting behavior and introduce the biteOscope, which provides an
opportunity to observe and understand this behavior at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution
under tightly controlled conditions. The biteOscope combines recent advances in computer vision and
automated tracking with designs for behavioral arenas and controllable artificial host cues that use lowcost
and readily available materials.