The sense of taste in female mosquitoes is specially tuned to detect at least four different substances in blood.
Researchers report taste information received from different parts of a fly's body is processed differently in the brain.The findings suggest different taste organs could have different functions.
In one of the first successful attempts at genetically engineering mosquitoes, HHMI researchers have altered the way the insects respond to odors, including the smell of humans and the insect repellant DEET.