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Associative learning turns DEET from aversive to appetitive in Aedes aegypti

https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/229/10/jeb251935/371741/Associative-learning-switches-DEET-valence-from
65croes | | 31 | HN
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gobdovan | parent | next
In plain English, they made mosquitos like repellent.
Y-bar | parent
Tldr: Repelln’t.
zeafoamrun | parent | next
Could this already be happening out in the wild?
cactusplant7374 | parent
I use a lot of bug spray and I am still swarmed sometimes.
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OutOfHere | parent | next
I hope these mosquitoes were not released in the wild.

The simple answer would be to add a natural strongly repellent gentle oil to the DEET spray.

Foobar8568 | parent | next
A couple years back, I spray some DEET on my shoes, 5 seconds later, a tiger mosquito tried to bite me on that spot (and yes on the shoe itself, just insane to see it trying ).

They already loved that shit.

alwa | parent | next
And remove the DEET from it, apparently… at least until it loses its appetitive charge.

Until, of course, they learn to like the replacement oil. At which point, break back out the DEET!

plmpsu | parent | next
Yeah, I would not be surprised if this learned behavior is passed on epigenetically. This is almost like gain of function research potentially.
AyyEye | parent | next
At that point just skip the deet.
cbdevidal | parent
Spray made from lemon eucalyptus works[1]. Not as well as DEET, but it works.

[1] https://www.consumerreports.org/health/insect-repellent/oil-...

cbdevidal | root | parent
I don’t understand why sharing an objective study with good news would be downvoted, someone please explain?

I’m not saying you have to use it; it’s good news for people who have concerns about other chemicals. It works—less effectively, but it works.

“Repellants containing (..) oil of lemon eucalyptus have also been found to be effective.”[1]

[1] Iowa Department of Health, “Controlling Spread of West Nile Virus“ https://hhs.iowa.gov/health-prevention/providers-professiona...

OutOfHere | root | parent
I have seen the same behavior on this site. Insightful information gets downvoted to -2, and useless comments that merely "feel good" get upvoted to +8.

I think the theory is that each post identifies with a certain topic, e.g. DEET, which identifies with a cultish subset of users surrounding that topic. There is no broad academic curiosity among the cult's members, and they suppress all competing topics as to them they represent other cults.

trhway | parent | next
that explains. I was always wondering why in Siberia (where i worked for 2 summers back then at university times) coming out from house with freshly applied DEET you're getting covered with mosquitos - i was attributing that to the especial ferociousness of the mosquitos there - yet it sounds like the smell of DEET for them in those towns may have become like a BBQ smell for us :)
HPsquared | parent | next
A bit like how capsaicin was evolved to prevent things being eaten by mammals, but... Well.. humans came along and developed a taste for it.

"Evolution! Can you give me capsaicin, to deter mammals? I want birds to spread my seeds!"

https://youtu.be/1fW2uTRdUJU

tardedmeme | root | parent
They got the ultimate seed-spreading, since we farm them.
adynaton | parent | next
Damn, were you working at Tselinoyarsk?
MiracleRabbit | parent | next
Freshly marinated in DEET
raverbashing | parent | next
So maybe the solution is to apply DEET to a bug zapper
neves | root | parent
It was fun, but not a bad idea. Are there mosquito mousetraps, or mosquitotraps?
hattmall | root | parent
Yes, they are mostly attracted to CO2 I think. So some traps that burn propane to attract them. Others I've seen are basically a screen over a fan with a block of dry ice. They use those to collect for like an hour then weigh the mosquitos and test for diseases in a swamp.
lazide | parent
[flagged]
danparsonson | parent
It's OK, we still have picaridin
jameslk | root | parent | next
Picaridin is the better choice as well. DEET is gross stuff that ruins many materials used for outdoor clothes and gear
lazide | root | parent
I read the paper - if they can train them to like deet this way, picaridin will be child’s play.
OutOfHere | root | parent
DEET should ruin things less if you stick to 35-40%. There is practically no benefit in going higher anyway. Those using 100% are asking for damage.

Picaridin gives me worsened tinnitus, so I can't use it unless maybe I slowly try to condition myself to it over a week. DEET doesn't.