Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Using the Fluorescent Dye, Rhodamine B, to Study Mating Competitiveness in Male Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes
Published on: May 7, 2021
The check is in the male: male mosquitoes affect female physiology and behavior
1Division of Entomology, University of Idaho, Moscow 83844-2339, USA.
Abstract:
The accessory glands of male mosquitoes may produce substances that are transferred to females during mating and alter female physiology and behavior. The effects of male substances include the inhibition of subsequent female mating behavior, stimulation of oviposition and preoviposition behaviors, and the inhibition of host-seeking behavior. The circadian rhythmicity of females can also be altered and their metabolic priorities restructured, making them more likely to reproduce. The specific components that affect the female have yet to be completely identified, but the published reports are summarized.
Related Concept Videos
Symbiosis
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
The Y Chromosome Determines Maleness
Evolution
Around 300 million years ago, the two sex chromosomes diverged from two identical autosomal chromosomes. Over time, the Y chromosome has lost most of its genes, shrinking in size. Today,...

