Podcast Biodiverse - Ep. 6: Mosquitoes, stinging biodiversity

"Podcast Biodiverso" is the first podcast show from the naturetech 3Bee, which stands out in the climate podcast scene for its ability to weave irony, levity and information into a unique and accessible format for all. The first season is composed of 6 episodes, available on Spotify and YouTube, and tackles key current issues, such as the climate crisis and biodiversity, in a sparkling and original way. Each episode presents an exclusive perspective on the big questions of sustainability: from climate change to sex, from feelings to mosquito extinction, and even nuclear energy. Not the usual green podcast, but a tool for spreading, comparing and learning, to tell the story of biodiversity in a new way, also thanks to the contribution of renowned guests.

In the sixth episode of "Biodiverse podcast", entitled "Biodiversity that stings. Mosquitoes: small insects, big problems", is hosted by Maurizio Casiraghi, Professor of Zoology and Evolution at the University of Milan-Bicocca, to explore the role of mosquitoes in nature. These small insects are known for their characteristic buzzing sound and ability to sting, but not everyone knows that behind them lie a number of issues related to their complex evolutionary history. Do mosquitoes transmit diseases? Does the rise in global temperature affect their behaviour and distribution? These are just some of the questions 3Bee answers in the sixth episode of "Biodiverse Podcast".

In the last episode of the first season of the Biodiverso Podcast, we talk about mosquitoes: known for buzzing near our ears at night and for their bites, these little insects are very complex and bring with them a number of issues that we wanted to explore in depth together with Maurizio Casiraghi. Mosquitoes are also a vector of diseases, first and foremost malaria. But how did they get among us? Can we exterminate them or do they serve a purpose? In this episode, our host enlightens us on the differences between male and female mosquitoes and tells us about the different mosquito species we will have to live with, also with a view to keeping the ecosystem in balance. A small spoiler: we cannot extinguish mosquitoes and indeed, they will keep us company more and more, even in winter.

Maurizio Casiraghi is Professor of zoology and evolution at the University of Milan-Bicocca, where he is also Pro-rector of education. He fell in love with insects as a child and, since then, this passion has never faded. He has worked on the sociality of bees, parasites, symbioses between animals and bacteria and everything that is in evolution. In 2023, he published the book 'Increasingly Alone. The Planet on the Threshold of the Sixth Extinction' with the aim of clarifying how, in the space of just a few years, our species has challenged the survival of countless animals, plants and organisms of all kinds, as well as investigating the diversity loss, which is crucial to stem.

Did you know that mosquitoes contribute to pollination? A research published in The Conversation found that mosquitoes locate flowers not only through vision, but also through smell, using similar clues to those they use to locate humans (and sting them). The researchers found that certain odour components of the flowers from which mosquitoes feed have elements in common with those found in humans. This suggests that, for mosquitoes, some flowers may have a odour similar to that of humans. This finding could offer an explanation for the evolutionary origins of the hematophagous diet of some mosquitoes, i.e. their tendency to feed on blood.

With this episode, the first season of Biodiverse Podcast comes to an end. Below is a recap of the episodes, in which we talked about sex, snow, activism, nuclear power, hunting and mosquitoes: - Sex, climate and rock'n'roll
- Once Upon a Time There Was Snow
- Climatic action or distraction?
- Atomic shot
- Hunting for biodiversity
- Biodiversity that stings
With the "Biodiverse Podcast" we delve from a new perspective into all those topics that 3Bee offers every day in the company training programmes and in the school curriculum, in a dynamic and engaging format. It is an invitation to discover, reflect and act, with the aim of creating an ever-widening network of ambassadors of change, aware of the importance of biodiversity for our planet. See you next season!