Mosquito

by Richard Swift

Published 5 October 2006
Fever, the Panama Canal, poetry and Roman emperors...all are linked by the mosquito, the pesky night-time bomber that buzzes its way into everyone's life. For some its bite brings deadly disease, for others it is a work of art. Certainly it is the ultimate survivor; all attempts to wipe it out have failed. But are scientists finally on the verge of a breakthrough in the fight against malaria? Trigger Issues - "Mosquito" explores how its 2,500 species have invaded not only bodies but culture too: every language acknowledges its fearsome reputation and pays a grudging respect to the tiny terror. In the words of the Dalai Lama, "If you think you are too small to make a difference try sleeping with a mosquito".