Heat signals: mosquitoes use infrared warmth to find humans, study shows

A UCSB-led study found infrared radiation from human skin temperatures doubles female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes’ host-seeking when combined with CO2 and human odor, revealing a new heat-detection cue that helps mosquitoes locate humans up to ~70 cm away. The mechanism likely involves heat-activated neurons on the mosquitoes’ antennae rather than visible-light receptors, with implications for improved traps and understanding disease transmission as climate change expands mosquito ranges.