Mosquito Men: The Elite Pathfinders of 627 Squadron

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The ruins of Dresden in 1945: controversy continues to rage over the targeting of the city. Photo: Wikimedia Commons a b c Peach DA, Gries G (2019). "Mosquito phytophagy – sources exploited, ecological function, and evolutionary transition to haematophagy". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 168 (2): 120–136. doi: 10.1111/eea.12852. The story of one of the most remarkable - and feared - British aircraft of the Second World War: the de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito fighter-bomber.

From the summer of that year, as RAF Bomber Command intensified its saturation-bombing campaign against German cities and industrial centers, Mosquitos were used by the RAF Pathfinder Force, which marked targets for night-time bombing, to potent and devastating effect. a b "Vísindavefurinn: Af hverju lifa ekki moskítóflugur á Íslandi, fyrst þær geta lifað báðum megin á Grænlandi?" (in Icelandic). Visindavefur.hi.is. Archived from the original on 2013-08-02 . Retrieved 2013-10-15.

The aerial brilliance of Spitfires and Hurricanes means the Mosquito has not imprinted on the minds of subsequent generations to the same extent as other RAF aircraft of the Second World War. However, the story of Ken Oatley and 627 Squadron is the subject of a new book, Mosquito Men, released this month and written by author David Price (who previously wrote The Crew, telling the story of a Lancaster Bomber crew). Adult yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, typical of subfamily Culicinae. Note bushy antennae and longer palps of male on left vs. females at right. The period of development from egg to adult varies among species and is strongly influenced by ambient temperature. Some species of mosquitoes can develop from egg to adult in as few as five days, but a more typical period of development in tropical conditions would be some 40 days or more for most species. The variation of the body size in adult mosquitoes depends on the density of the larval population and food supply within the breeding water. Gislason G. M.; Gardarsson A. (1988). "Long term studies on Simulium vittatum Zett. (Diptera: Simuliidae) in the River Laxá, North Iceland, with particular reference to different methods used in assessing population changes". Verb. Int. Ver. Limnol. 23 (4): 2179–2188. doi: 10.1080/03680770.1987.11899871. Brunhes J, Rhaim A, Geoffroy B, Angel G, Hervy JP (2000). Les Moustiques de l'Afrique mediterranéenne[ Interactive identification guide to mosquitoes of North Africa, with database of information on morphology, ecology, epidemiology, and control. Mac/PC Numerous illustrations. IRD/IPT [12640]] (CD-ROM) (in French). IRD Éditions. ISBN 978-2-7099-1446-8.

They dive below the surface when disturbed. Larvae swim either through propulsion with their mouth brushes, or by jerky movements of their entire bodies, giving them the common name of "wigglers" or "wrigglers". The loss rate in 627 Squadron was much lower than among the heavy bombers, and the esprit de corps ran high, with crews returning with stories of surviving heavy flak and fighters. On 2 December 1943, Flight Sergeant Leslie Simpson and Sergeant Peter Walker were hit by flak in Mosquito DZ479 over Magdeburg. Their right engine was impacted by a splinter of shell, and despite attempting to fly on with one engine, Simpson and Walker had to abandon their aircraft over France. Both men subsequently evaded capture and eventually returned to England – although it would be March 1944 before 627 Squadron learned of their escape. Service, Mike (2012). Medical Entomology for Students (5thed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-66818-8. David Price’s involving and fast-paced narrative traces the contrasting wartime fortunes of a number of Mosquito crews, alongside which the development and operational history of the airplane (especially with the Pathfinder Force) forms a descant to the principal human narrative. Like the author’s earlier book The Crew, Mosquito Men is rich in evocative and technically authoritative accounts of individual missions flown by an aircraft that ranks alongside the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the Avro Lancaster as one of the RAF’s greatest ever.Hawkes FM, Hopkins RJ. The mosquito: an introduction. In: Hall M, Tamïr D, eds. Mosquitopia: The Place of Pests in a Healthy World. New York, NY: Routledge; 2021:16-31. doi:10.4324/9781003056034-3

Davidson EW (1981). Pathogenesis of invertebrate microbial diseases. Montclair, N. J.: Allanheld, Osmun. ISBN 978-0-86598-014-3. Brown, Lesley (1993). The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles. Oxford [Eng.]: Clarendon. ISBN 978-0-19-861271-1. Mogi M (2007). "Insects and other invertebrate predators". Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 23 (2 Suppl): 93–109. doi: 10.2987/8756-971X(2007)23[93:IAOIP]2.0.CO;2. PMID 17853600. S2CID 25361723. David Price's involving and fast-paced narrative traces the contrasting wartime fortunes of a number of Mosquito crews, alongside which the development and operational history of the aeroplane (especially with the Pathfinder Force) forms a descant to the principal human narrative. Like the author's earlier book The Crew, Mosquito Men is rich in evocative and technically authoritative accounts of individual missions flown by an aircraft that ranks alongside the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the Avro Lancaster as one of the RAF's greatest ever.

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Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-08-08 . Retrieved 2018-09-19. Curic G, Hercog R, Vrselja Z, Wagner J (January 2014). "Identification of person and quantification of human DNA recovered from mosquitoes (Culicidae)". Forensic Science International. Genetics. 8 (1): 109–12. doi: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2013.07.011. PMID 24315597. Sloof R.; Marks E. N. (1965). "Mosquitoes (Culicidae) biting a fish (Periophthalmidae)". Journal of Medical Entomology. 2: 16. doi: 10.1093/jmedent/2.1.16. PMID 14302106. Eggs of species of mosquitoes from the temperate zones are more tolerant of cold than the eggs of species indigenous to warmer regions. [88] [89] Many even tolerate subzero temperatures. In addition, adults of some species can survive the winter by taking shelter in suitable microhabitats such as buildings or hollow trees. [90] Pollination Two types of models are used to predict mosquito-borne disease spread in relation to climate: correlative models and mechanistic models. Correlative models focus primarily on vector distribution, and generally function in 3 steps. First, data is collected regarding geographical location of a target mosquito species. Next, a multivariate regression model establishes the conditions under which the target species can survive. Finally, the model determines the likelihood of the mosquito species to become established in a new location based on similar living conditions. The model can further predict future distributions based on environmental emissions data. Mechanistic models tend to be broader and include the pathogens and hosts in the analysis. These models have been used to recreate past outbreaks as well as predict the potential risk of a vector-borne disease based on an areas forecasted climate. [99]

St. Louis Encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease that is characterized by fever and headaches upon initial onset of infection, arises from mosquitoes who feed on birds who are infected with the illness, and can result in death. The most common vector of this disease is Culex pipiens, also known as the common house mosquito. More or Less - Have Mosquitoes Killed Half the World? - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2022-03-22 . Retrieved 2022-09-06. The mosquito's saliva is transferred to the host during the bite, and can cause an itchy rash. In addition, many species can ingest pathogens while biting, and transmit them to future hosts. In this way, mosquitoes are important vectors of parasitic diseases such as malaria and filariasis, and arboviral diseases such as yellow fever, Chikungunya, West Nile, dengue fever, and Zika. By transmitting diseases, mosquitoes cause the deaths of more people than any other animal taxon: over 700,000 each year. [6] [7] It has been claimed that almost half of the people who have ever lived have died of mosquito-vectored disease, [8] but this claim is disputed, with more conservative estimates placing the death toll closer to 5% of all humans. [9] [10] Fossil record and evolutionary historyWhile Mosquitos could be adapted to carry bombs, speed was prioritised so they never carried weaponry. “I never even had a revolver,” Oatley says. “But we never felt vulnerable.”