May 30, 2024
Scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) National Microbiology Laboratory encourage students to get involved in a new citizen science project monitoring the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), an invasive species first detected in the Windsor/Essex region of Ontario in 2016. These mosquitoes can spread infectious diseases that pose risks to people’s health.
Dr. Victoria Ng, Senior Scientist, Dr. Antoinette Ludwig, Research Scientist, and Dr. Kevin Siebels, Research Scientist, are leading the Tiger Mosquito Citizen Science study.
Dr. Victoria Ng
Dr. Antoinette Ludwig
Dr. Kevin Siebels
The study is being led in collaboration with Let’s Talk Science outreach of the University of Windsor and the Windsor-Essex Public Health Unit. From May to September 2024, the student participants will gather data helping to identify the presence of the tiger mosquito in areas where mosquito traps have not been set up. The data collected will complement traditional mosquito surveillance in the region, helping scientists to monitor the distribution of the tiger mosquito in the region more accurately.
Why do scientists want to monitor the tiger mosquito?
The tiger mosquito, native to southeast Asia, has expanded globally as a result of trade and travel. It is considered one of the top invasive species in the world. This species is capable of transmitting West Nile virus, chikungunya virus, dengue virus and many other viruses, posing a considerable threat to public health. As the tiger mosquito is well adapted to cooler climates, it is of concern to Canada, particularly as it is now established in the Windsor-Essex region of Ontario where enhanced routine surveillance has consistently reported the presence of this species between 2018 and 2023. There have been recent localized outbreaks of chikungunya and dengue viruses in Europe and the United States, in areas with recently established tiger mosquito populations, where these viruses have not been observed previously. These events highlight the importance of monitoring this invasive species here in Canada, which currently does not have any recorded local cases of chikungunya or dengue.
How does the study work?
The study consists of collecting digital pictures and physical samples of mosquitoes for PHAC.
The study is geared towards school age children, particularly Grades 6 and 7 students, as well as their teachers. The head scientists from the National Microbiology Laboratory and project volunteers will deliver in-class lessons in schools in May and June 2024. These sessions will teach students how to identify and collect mosquitoes of interest and how to preserve the mosquitoes for collection.. Instructors will also provide students with safety information including how they can protect themselves from mosquito bites and making sure that an adult is always with them while they are collecting samples. In addition, the scientists and volunteers will present at summer camps in July and August targeting ages 10+, but the program can be tailored for younger age groups on request. The project is also open to anyone else who would like to participate, however the study area is limited to the Windsor/Essex region in Ontario. Regular updates and the gathered study results will be shared on the project website during the study period.
Raising awareness through citizen science
The scientists hope that in addition to getting students interested in participating in citizen science and helping to collect data, the project will also help to raise awareness about the risks of mosquito-borne disease and prevention methods. Dr. Ng says that educating children about this topic early on can be part of an effective public health campaign.
“Involving kids is a great way to reach out to families,” says Dr. Ng. “I have two kids and we have very interesting dinner table conversations about what they learn in school. This project, in addition to being a fun activity for schools, will help us get our messaging out to a very important target audience.”
Citizen science has also been proven effective in helping scientists to better monitor mosquitoes (and other insects) in Europe, Australia and the U.S. In a country the size of Canada, having more people participate in monitoring helps scientists gather important data.
How will the data be used?
The collected mosquito samples will be used to generate a database of pictures that will be used to develop artificial intelligence models to identify and monitor this invasive species in southern Ontario. In addition, the data from the study will be used to model and forecast future distribution of the tiger mosquito in the region under a changing climate in Canada. The models and forecasts can help predict the risk of these mosquitoes in Canada while also enabling the production of risk maps. Working with local public health officials, the information collected will be used to warn the public of the risks these mosquitoes pose and what measures people can take to protect themselves.
I’m interested! How do I sign up?
To organize an in-class presentation and training session in the Windsor/Essex region, please contact: timo-cs@phac-aspc.gc.ca to indicate your interest.
More information on the project can be found at: https://letstalkscience.ca/outreach/uwindsor/local-programs/timo-cs