In a study published in iScience, Distinguished Professor Walter Leal and his colleagues showed that the southern house mosquito possesses a single odorant receptor that exhibits both inhibitory and excitatory responses. David Slipher/UC Davis
In a study published in iScience, Distinguished Professor Walter Leal and his colleagues showed that the southern house mosquito possesses a single odorant receptor that exhibits both inhibitory and excitatory responses. David Slipher/UC Davis

The Repellence Cocktail: Mosquito Sense of Smell Reveals More Mysteries

When nibbling mosquitoes cause irritation, the sensible move is to grab mosquito repellent. Distinguished Professor Walter Leal, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, likes to remind his students of this. But if they’re stepping outside for only a short period of time during the buggy Davis summers, Leal will offer a natural repellent like methyl salicylate, otherwise known as wintergreen oil.

 

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