Getting wild mosquitoes back to the lab alive takes a custom backpack

The mosquitoes are needed to test if malaria-prevention strategies are still effective

A close-up of a species of mosquito, Anopheles arabiensis, feeding on a human, it's belly full of blood. The species found in Africa is one that carries malaria.

Across Africa, Anopheles arabiensis (shown) and other malaria-carrying mosquitoes are developing resistance to a common class of insecticide. Researchers are trying to figure out how widespread that resistance is. To do that, they need to study wild mosquitoes in the lab.

Avalon.red/Alamy Stock Photo

This backpack isn’t typical hiking gear.