Mosquitoes Love the Flowering Butterfly Bush

Many of us are drawn to the beauty of flowers. Not only for their array of colors and their ability to add brightness to any landscape or vase, but also for their scent. There’s nothing nicer than the smell of fresh flowers, especially on a summers day.

Mosquitoes also love flowers. This could raise a sigh, as these pesky critters are spoiling our appreciation of what nature has to offer, however, could we utilize this knowledge in our favor?

Mosquito Management: Flower Attraction Could Be Utilized to Reduce Disease and Improve Pest Control

Some mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs in water sources near flowers, a preference researchers theorize could be exploited to mitigate the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases – yellow fever, dengue, and chikungunya – and lead to improved pest control.

In particular, the flowering butterfly bush is favoured by these disease-spreading pests.

Scientists are proposing that the scent that attracts mosquitoes to this flower could be used as bait for a trapping device. Here’s a further article with more information:-

UF/IFAS Scientists Find Another Clue to Monitor, Trap Virus-Spreading Mosquito

The Asian tiger mosquito is attracted to flowering butterfly bushes, giving mosquito control officials another tool to monitor and trap the insect that can transmit pathogens, causing potentially deadly diseases, a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences study shows.

As always, there is still an emphasis on the importance of protecting yourselves against these pests. So make sure that your mosquito control is up to date and your back yard continues to bloom.