I will be studying the effects of climate on the pupae stage of the Aedes agypti mosquito in Colombia. The Aedes agypti mosquito is the vector that transmits dengue, which causes millions of deaths each year in tropical countries. Since there is no vaccine for this disease, vector control is the most effective disease prevention method.
My project will use locally collected water container temperature data, ambient temperature data collected from weather stations, as well as satellite information to examine how climate and temperature may affect the life cycle of the mosquito. The goal of my project is to develop a model that can predict adult mosquito abundance based on the pupae count given the local ambient temperature. This model will be able to aid the Colombian Institute of Health in their vector control programs. It can also be utilized in other dengue endemic areas worldwide.