Biting insects - a challenge for chemists
In many parts of the world biting insects are major disease vectors, being the source of malaria and yellow fever for example, though in the UK they are mainly just a nuisance
One million people, mainly children under five, die each year in Africa of malaria. Where the health impact is less, the economic cost of biting insects can be considerable. The largest industry in Scotland, for example, is tourism - the 13-14 million tourists every year (1996) contribute £2000 million to the country's economy. A study by Edinburgh University's Dr Alison Blackwell, however, found that the Scottish midge, Culicoides impunctatus, cost the Scottish tourist industry £286m with 86 per cent of first-time visitors saying they would advise their friends not to travel there in July or August, the height of the midge season.1
Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.
Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access
Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.
Get all this, plus much more:
- unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
- teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
- applications for funding to support your lessons
Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.
Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.