Thesis subject
Mosquito Flight in a turbulent Flow
Mosquitoes are world’s deadliest animals as they spread many deadly human diseases through biting. To reduce or prevent this biting, we need to properly understand the in-flight host search behaviour of mosquitoes.
Here, we propose studying host searching of malaria mosquitoes in the complex turbulent airflow conditions as found in the wild. For this, we will augment our existing experimental wind tunnel facility with turbulence generators, we will use our in-house high-speed videography system to track the flying mosquito’s body and wing kinematics. The study may help improve vector control strategies.
In this thesis, you will study the flight behaviour of mosquito in a wind tunnel. This study is part of a collaborative project between the Experimental Zoology Group, and the Laboratory of Entomology at the WUR, and Eindhoven University of Technology.
With this thesis, you can help us to improve our understand of host searching behavior of mosquitoes and which in turn can save human lives.
Skills you will be using/learning are:
- Experimental design
- Insect behaviour
- Working with live animals
- 3D high speed video techniques
- programming
- Statistics
Are you interested? Please contact via ezo.thesis@wur.nl.