Meet Dr. Perran Ross: The Man Who Lets Thousands of Mosquitoes Bite Him Daily
Dr. Perran Ross, dubbed ‘Mosquito Man,’ purposefully allows thousands of mosquitoes to bite him daily. Unlike most who avoid mosquito bites, Ross does it for science. As an experimental biologist, Ross studies mosquitoes, focusing on their lifespan and the bacteria they carry.
Mosquitoes are among the deadliest animals due to their role in spreading malaria. Ross and his team need a constant supply of mosquitoes for their research, which includes work on endosymbionts—organisms living inside another, like the bacteria in our gut. His studies aim to use these organisms in pest and disease control.
Feeding the mosquitoes naturally is crucial to keep their behavior as normal as possible. “Ross has the unenviable task of feeding the mosquitos,” which he does by placing his forearm in a box full of mosquitoes, getting bitten by thousands in a day.
Though his job sounds nightmarish, Ross believes it’s worth it. “If anything is worth sticking your arm in a box full of mosquitoes for, it’s trying to fight disease and starvation.”