Mosquitoes can’t stomach cannabidiolNigel Cattlin/Alamy
There may be a new way to kill disease-carrying mosquitoes. The insects die when they are exposed to cannabidiol (CBD) – a chemical produced by cannabis plants. What’s more, the chemical is lethal even in mosquitoes that have genetic resistance to standard pesticides.
Mosquitoes can carry pathogens responsible for diseases including malaria, dengue fever and zika. Some of the insects are also becoming resistant to the insecticides used against them. But Erick Martinez Rodriguez and Peter Piermarini at the Ohio State University and their colleagues may have a solution.
Mosquito larvae die after consuming hemp leaves because they react strongly to the cannabidiol in the foliage. The discovery might lead to the development of a new pesticide to control mosquito numbers Read More