Overview Mosquitoes aren't just irritating. They can carry diseases like malaria , a huge problem for people who live in the tropics where mosquitoes breed year-round. Malaria endangers the lives of millions worldwide, and the numbers are increasing.
Malaria is caused by a parasite that infects mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles .
Both male and female mosquitoes feed on plant nectar, but females of most kinds of mosquitoes need a blood meal for protein so their bodies can make eggs. Anyone bitten by an infected female anopheles can also be infected with the malaria parasite. One way to stop malaria and other diseases carried by mosquitoes is to eliminate the mosquitoes themselves. But many kinds of mosquitoes have become resistant to chemicals that have been used to get rid of them. New techniques are needed.