Biology




Mosquitoes and Their Life Cycle


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 10:27:34

226 Views

Introduction Mosquitoes are, ironically, the most popular insect vectors of animal diseases across the world. Female mosquitoes are hematophagous, feeding on vertebrate blood for egg production and maturation. Different species of mosquitoes prefer different hosts. During feeding, a female mosquito injects her proboscis and discharges saliva inside the host’s skin, causing an itchy reaction. If this mosquito is carrying disease pathogens from an earlier blood meal, after sufficient pathogen development (incubation) in its body, the pathogen may be transmitted to the new host. The incubation period varies for every pathogen ranging from days to weeks. Mosquitoes are vectors of human … Read More



Mosquito-Borne Diseases


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 10:44:13

81 Views

Introduction Mosquito-borne disease is an illness of humans caused by the bite of a female mosquito during its blood meal. Mosquitoes get infested with pathogens like viruses and parasites while feeding on the blood of infected birds or mammals and act as vectors for disease transmission. Disease symptoms are usually asymptomatic at the initial stage, but in mild conditions, there is fever, body aches, joint pain, headache, and rashes, while chronic situations can lead to high fever, stiff neck, coma, seizures, bleeding, brain inflammation, and paralysis. Common Mosquito-Borne Diseases Lymphatic filariasis Lymphatic filariasis is commonly known as elephantiasis. … Read More


Mimicry and Coloration in Insects


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:04:34

170 Views

Introduction Mimicry can be described as the phenomenon of resemblance in physical characteristics or behavioural traits of an animal with a different animal species, usually of different taxa to gain a selective advantage in its environment. Camouflage, on the other hand, refers to the animal species resembling a non-living or inanimate object. Insects constitute a large percentage of mimicry and practice various forms of camouflage and colouration. Types and Examples In nature, four types of mimicry can be observed in different species of animals. Mullerian Mimicry, Batesian Mimicry, Aggressive Mimicry, and Automimicry Mullerian Mimicry Mullerian mimicry is observed between unrelated … Read More


Insects as Pollinators


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:06:21

76 Views

Introduction Our demand for food is increasing with the increasing human population. To cope with this situation, our agriculture system needs more food production through a sustainable management system. Pollinators play the most vital role in food production. Ways of Pollination Out of 115 leading global crops of human consumption, 87 depend on animal pollination to some extent. Five to eight per cent of global crop production with a market value of about 235 to 577 billion US dollars can be directly attributed to animal pollination. About 200, 000 different animal species are found to act as pollinators, insects, … Read More


Insect Vectors of Plant Pathogens


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:07:39

64 Views

Introduction Thousands of plant pathogens are known to affect plants. Generally, these plant pathogens are viruses, but they can also be bacteria, fungi, or parasitic nematodes. Most of the vectors of plant pathogens are sucking insects feeding on plant juices of the suborder Homoptera under order Hemiptera. The small stylets of these insect vectors help in the insertion of pathogens to plant cells or vascular tissues with minimum physical damage. Aphids (family Aphididae) are the most widely known vectors of plant pathogens. Whiteflies (Aleyrodidae), leafhoppers (Cicadellidae), plant hoppers (Fulgoridae), mealybugs (Pseudococcidae) and various other hemipteran insects help in the … Read More


Growth and Metamorphosis In Insects


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:13:21

109 Views

Introduction Metamorphosis can be defined as “a process of profound postembryonic reorganization of tissues which usually prepares an animal for the rest of its life in a different habitat.” Metamorphosis is regulated by juvenile hormone secreted from the insect’s brain. Juvenile hormone secretion causes moulting of the insect and results in the emergence of the adult. The soft body of most insects remains covered by a thick envelope called exoskeleton for protection against external environment. An insect pass through egg, larva, pupa, and adult in its life, through growth and transformation. But its exoskeleton has limited capability of expansion. Therefore, … Read More



Difference between Axon and Dendrite


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:14:56

60 Views

Introduction Axon and dendrite are the two major parts of neurons those work to transfer information. Dendrites has short branches than axon and that is a major difference between these two parts of the neuron. The central nervous system and the peripheral nervous systems are the two main parts of the human nervous system. The human spinal cord and brain’s activities are controlled by the central nervous system. The nervous system works for information, command and making coordination in all body parts with the brain. Peripheral nervous system is another part of the nervous system where neurons are formed. … Read More


Difference between Auxin and Gibberellin


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:20:00

43 Views

Introduction Auxin and Gibberellin both are a type of plant hormones that occurs naturally and synthesises artificially. These hormones help the plant in the plant growth processes like flowering, root initiation, organogenesis and many more. Both of these hormones fall under the category of phytohormones. They also have major roles to mediate the responses of the shading adaptation of plants. What is Auxin? The word auxin means growing or enlarging. This hormone is situated in the growing roots of apice. It changes location later to promote growth in the plant. It is acquired from tryptophan, a type of amino acid … Read More


Difference between Archaea and Bacteria


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:21:24

49 Views

Introduction Archaea and bacteria are both unicellular prokaryotic cells and both can survive in extreme conditions. Despite that, they have different structures and different reproduction methods. Archaea are not pathogenesis but there are many bacteria that can cause illness. Archaea and bacteria do not have a nucleus or membrane-possessed organelles. They are almost similar in shapes and sizes. Overview of Archaea Archaea is part of single cell prokaryotic organisms. Earlier archaea was known as archaebacteria. Their cell wall elements are different from bacteria. They are mainly observed in utmost natural conditions such as marshy areas, hot springs and utmost … Read More


Communication in Ants


Bitopi Kaashyap


Updated on 15-Dec-2023 11:23:32

95 Views

Introduction Social insects are more advantageous with respect to solitary insects over solitary insects. Many individuals in the colony increase systematic functioning, organised and efficient working, sharing information through specialised communication about the food resources. It helps in the foraging of the colony, in many cases retaining the memory of previous reward source and select location of profitability. Communication in Ants Foraging communication of social insects has been a subject of study for long. In 1880s, Victorian John Lubbock found that ants use odour for trail networking and foraging. Wassman, his contemporary believed that ants have a sophisticated language encoding … Read More


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