East African spiders could help control lethal disease

East African Evarcha culicivora, a spider species, prefers to feed on mosquitoes which spread malaria.

In past research, the scientists discovered E. culicivora consistently preferred female mosquitoes that had recently finished a blood meal. The spiders targeted bloodsuckers over non-biting midges (by far the dominant mosquito-sized insect in these habitats), male mosquitoes (which do not suck blood), and female mosquitoes that were fed sugar.

Now scientists find the spider prefers a particular type of them—mosquitoes infested with the deadly malaria parasite. These predatory spiders could help control the lethal disease, scientists say.

Link & Image: MSNBC
Tags: Spider | Evarcha Culicivora