Chapter 5 - Insects As Disease Vectors

Question 1

Compare a Locust and Mosquito.

Answer 1

LOCUST - 2 antennae, 3 pairs of legs, smaller eyes, smaller legs, 8 sprinacles, no proboscis, smaller wings.
MOSQUITO - 4 antennae, 4 pairs of legs, bigger eyes, bigger legs, no sprinacles, has proboscis, bigger wings

Question 2

What are the three parts of a mosquito or locust called?

Answer 2

Head, Thorax, Abdomen

Question 3

Explain the danger of insect vectors.

Answer 3

Insects carry diseases and as they are small they are hard to see so you can’t kill them in time. For example, mosquitos carry malaria and can pass it on by sucking/biting humans.

Question 4

Explain the knowledge of vectors life cycle in controlling the diseases caused by their pathogens.

Answer 4

Using mosquitos as an example, it is important to know where they reproduce or leave their eggs or how they transmit their disease in order to prevent the outcome.

Question 5

What is a Vector?

Answer 5

• an animal that is capable of transmitting disease.

- an organism (as an insect) that carries and passes a disease causing microbe.