Climate change, the gift that keeps on giving.

I’m so angry! Someone beat me to one of the last great scientific discoveries on the planet. Mosquitoes ARE in Iceland. I knew it and was saving up for the field trip to prove it! https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/21/mosquitoes-found-iceland-first-time-climate-crisis-warms-country

New work with my fantastic colleagues, Viki Brookes and @mozziebites.bsky.social - Landscapes associated with Japanese encephalitis virus in Australia reflect the functional biogeography of waterbirds: dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2...

Away we go for another fieldwork season. Stay tuned for updates on mosquito wrangling in the swamps and stormwater drains of Sydney as the weather warms up! 🦟

Australia was declared free of malaria in the 1980s but cases of locally acquired disease are occasionally recorded in Torres Strait. Why? My latest for @aunz.theconversation.com https://theconversation.com/malaria-has-returned-to-the-torres-strait-what-does-this-mean-for-mainland-australia-258289

Planning a trip to Bali (or other tropical destinations) in the upcoming school holidays? Revisit my @aunz.theconversation.com article about mosquito risk https://theconversation.com/heading-to-bali-or-somewhere-tropical-these-holidays-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-dengue-fever-233670

You can pick up our award winning guide to Australian mosquitoes for only $30 (discounted from $50) at the @csiropublishing.bsky.social stocktake sale https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/6391/ 🦟

Deep in the estuarine wetlands along the Tweed River. Good time to be out and in the mangroves and saltmarsh but no shortage of mosquitoes in a few places! 🦟

Mosquito activity has dropped over the past week but don’t be complacent as Barmah Forest virus has been detected in mosquitoes around Sydney in recent weeks https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/council/news/media-releases/residents-warned-barmah-forest-virus-risk-0

Mosquito activity has dropped over the past week but don’t be complacent as Barmah Forest virus has been detected in mosquitoes around Sydney in recent weeks https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/council/news/media-releases/residents-warned-barmah-forest-virus-risk-0

The Trump administration's efforts to end DEI programs is hitting some unexpected targets, including a nationwide effort planting shade trees in neighborhoods to reduce extreme heat.

🦟🧪Our paper on larval competition between Aedes aegypti and Aedes mediovittatus, a Caribbean endemic, is out! In it, we show that the endemic appears to be the superior competitor, and this may explain why Ae. aegypti is restricted to cities on the island. academic.oup.com/jme/article-...

Good thread on the Japanese encephalitis risk in Australia ⬇️ Also, lifting this up from the replies, there is free vaccination for those in at-risk settings www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/j...

#Australia 🇦🇺: " #JapaneseEncephalitis has claimed a second life in #NSW and been detected in #Brisbane. What is it?"🦟 by @mozziebites.bsky.social & Andrew van den Hurk @theconversation.com theconversation.com/japanese-enc...

Why is the discovery of Japanese encephalitis virus in mosquitoes collected from suburban Brisbane such a concern? It really upends our understanding of a group of mosquito-borne pathogens with life threatening consequences and how authorities around Australia should respond...

Okay SE QLD peeps, this is important. Japanese encephalitis can be fatal, and few of us will have any immunity to it. PLEASE take measures to avoid mozzie bites, and that includes cleaning up standing water after #Cyclone Alfred. Tip out pots, drain blocked gutters etc.

This is concerning. Japanese encephalitis virus detected in mosquitoes collected in suburban Brisbane. Disease caused by this virus is rare but can be life-threatening https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-16/japanese-encephalitis-virus-found-in-mosquitoes-in-brisbane/105056958

An alert from NSW Health after the second death from Japanese encephalitis this season in NSW. Avoid mosquito bites and check eligibility for access to vaccination https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20250314_01.aspx

I know all the headlines about the recent Japanese Encephalitis death in NSW state “a man from Sydney” but please keep in mind that there is currently no evidence the virus is active in mosquitoes along the east coast (inc. Sydney). https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20250225_01.aspx

First death of a person with Japanese encephalitis in NSW since 2022. If you live, work or holiday in regions west of Great Dividing Range, prevent mosquito bites. Check NSW Health website https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20250225_01.aspx

Scientists working on a blood test to detect mosquito-borne Oropouche virus among those dismissed. ⬇️ 🔗 Ax falls on elite group of Ph.D.s training to lead U.S. public health labs

Reminder to residents and visitors to Queensland to get vaccinated if you’re eligible. The vaccine is free but you may have to pay a consultation fee. www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-pra...

“Scientists worry that the losses may open the door to human, plant and animal diseases that would otherwise have been caught.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/health/trump-border-health-inspections.html?smid=url-share

“Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been detected at two Queensland piggeries. Biosecurity Queensland issued an alert confirming detections of the virus in the state's south” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-18/japanese-encephalitis-virus-queensland-piggeries/104949206

A day in a different kind of wetland…

People who live, work or visit certain areas within Queensland and who are at risk of mossie bites are eligible for JEV vaccination. There was a case of locally-acquired JEV infection in Qld reported in the period 06-19 January. www.qld.gov.au/health/condi...

It’s ’Mosquito Monday’ so meet Aedes alternans (aka Hexham Grey), one of the largest (and prettiest?) of Australia’s mosquitoes. Learn more in our @csiropublishing.bsky.social guide https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/6391/

First case of Japanese encephalitis reported in NSW for this season; take steps to avoid mosquito bites if you live in or are visiting western NSW https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20250215_00.aspx

There’s a feeling in the air this week that hints at a change in season, hard to put my finger on what exactly it is…but I like it. Fingers crossed the cooler weather makes an early return!

Good morning. Despite the forecast for a miserable week ahead weather wise, I managed to enjoy a few moments of calm this morning along the Georges River 🦟

“Hot weather and regular tidal flooding has created the perfect conditions for mosquitos to multiply in Mandurah, south of Perth, over recent weeks.” https://au.news.yahoo.com/thousands-warned-as-aussies-battle-horrendous-issue-debilitating-002921701.html

“Mosquito-borne diseases are on the rise. Here’s how collecting mozzies in your backyard can help science” https://theconversation.com/mosquito-borne-diseases-are-on-the-rise-heres-how-collecting-mozzies-in-your-backyard-can-help-science-244511 @aunz.theconversation.com 🦟

This is pretty incredible. In the bowels of the UT Insect Collection we’ve found some Chagas bugs collected and identified by Carlos Chagas himself!

Is a rock pool a wetland? This small habitat contained the larvae of three different mosquito species, Aedes notoscriptus, Anopheles annulipes, and Culex quinquefasciatus! 🦟

Hi all, I'm a WIRED journalist on the science desk. If you're a government scientist or federally funded researcher with info to share about the Trump transition, please feel free to contact me securely on Signal: emullin.06

@entsocamerica.bsky.social is collecting stories about how various actions taken by the federal government recently are impacting ESA members and hindering entomological research. You do need to be an ESA member to participate. app.smartsheet.com/b/form/7a1ed...

Join me for this ‘One Health Wonders’ webinar (with a focus on climate change and mosquito-borne disease) on Wednesday 19 February 2025 at 2pm AEDT. This series is brought to you by the interim CDC and the @csiro.bsky.social 🦟

It’s ‘Mosquito Monday’ and here is Aedes aculeatus. A beautiful mozzie but has also been described as “…large and rather clumsy and seem fearless but stupid…” (E.N. Marks 1949) 🦟

Flaming Lips. Wow!

Got some research on mosquitoes and/or arboviruses to share? The Mosquito Control Association of Australia and Arbovirus Research in Australia symposium is on 24-28 August 2025 in Torquay, Victoria, Australia. Hope to see you there! https://mcaaconference.com.au/

“Roughly 6,000 readers answered our poll, with many declaring that Bluesky was nicer, kinder and less antagonistic to science than X”

I’m glad my hard work and dedication has enabled me to spend my working days searching for mosquitoes in the beautiful wetlands and woodlands of Australia… 🦟

🦟 "Scoping #Review of #JapaneseEncephalitis #Virus Transmission Models" by Troy A. Laidlow @mozziebites.bsky.social et al. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/...

It’s ’Mosquito Monday’ so check out Coquillettidia xanthogaster - one of Australia’s most unique mosquitoes!

New work out! With a great team led by Troy Laidlow and Viki Brookes. Pinging @mozziebites.bsky.social & @baldini-francesco.bsky.social: Scoping Review of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Transmission Models doi.org/10.1155/tbed...

While the discussions of the emergence of COVID and everything that came with it five years ago, here in Sydney we were also dealing with bushfires and an outbreak of mosquito-borne disease https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/december-2020-volume-30-issue-4/bushfires-covid-19-and-mosquito-borne-disease/

Thanks for the support!

I sprinted to the Botanic Gardens late last night after hearing they were preparing to pollinate Putricia. I made it with seconds to spare - here's what it's like to witness the intimate art of corpse flower pollination 🌺 www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...

Live-streaming a plant is not something I had on my 2025 bingo card…but I’m now hooked on the behaviour of all those visitors you’ve waited 3h for a selfie with a plant that smells like a dead rat…

Wonderful performance by William Basinski at Art Gallery of NSW last night. Part of the Cloud Music program (Sydney Festival). https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/events/cloud-music/