Regional Collaboration Opportunities

Buzz around the World: A GLOBE Cross-Regional Mosquito Initiative

Country Coordinators from Africa and Asia & Pacific invite you to join the Buzz Around the World: GLOBE Cross-Regional Mosquito Initiative!

This initiative invites GLOBE participants across the regions to participate in investigating mosquitoes as part of a changing environment. Using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper in the GLOBE Observer app,  participants can make local observations to explore where mosquitoes breed, investigate the environmental conditions associated with mosquito habitats, connect their findings with scientific research and locally relevant priorities, and consider how their observations can contribute to informed action in their communities.

Dates: November 2026 – July 2027  

Objectives: The Initiative has four objectives, and participants are encouraged to contribute to some or all of them 

1 — Observe regional mosquito habitats using GLOBE’s Mosquito Habitat Mapper                                 

2 — Investigate relationships between mosquito habitats and environmental conditions 

3 — Connect the study of mosquito habitats with local research, Earth science observations, scientists, and locally relevant environmental and health priorities 

4 — Act by using scientific observations and findings to build mosquito-related community awareness and action or contribute data to an ongoing research or public health Initiative.

What are mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are among the most widespread insects in the world. They play important roles in ecosystems, serving as food for other species and, in some cases, as pollinators. However, species from the Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex genera can transmit diseases that affect human health, including malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and West Nile disease. Because mosquito development is closely linked to environmental conditions—including standing water, temperature, precipitation, humidity, vegetation, and land cover—changes in these conditions can influence where mosquitoes can survive and reproduce. For more scientific background on mosquitoes, go to the Relevant Scientific Background section of GLOBE’s Mosquito Protocol Bundle.  

Why study mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are an important environmental and public health concern across GLOBE’s regions. Although the specific mosquito species and diseases of concern vary by region, mosquito populations are influenced by shared environmental factors, such as temperature, precipitation, water availability, land use, urbanization, and waste and water management. Studying mosquito habitats and these environmental factors across regions are particularly important to better understand how environmental changes can alter mosquito habitats and their geographic distribution. 

Because these factors differ across GLOBE’s regions, GLOBE participants can investigate locally relevant questions while contributing to a shared understanding of mosquitoes as indicators of environmental change. 

Regional Mosquito-related Challenges 

While GLOBE regions share many mosquito-related challenges, the public health context differs across them. Africa carries the greatest global burden of malaria. The spread of Anopheles stephensi highlights the importance of understanding mosquito habitats in urban and peri-urban environments (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025, 2026). In Asia and the Pacific, dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases are major concerns, with climate change, urbanization, water and waste management, and population mobility influencing mosquito populations and disease transmission (WHO, 2025). In Latin America and the Caribbean, dengue and other Aedes-borne diseases remain significant concerns, with climate variability, urbanization, water storage, and waste management contributing to mosquito breeding opportunities (Pan American Health Organization [PAHO], 2026; Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization [PAHO/WHO], 2026). In the Near East and North Africa region, malaria and dengue remain important public health concerns in several countries, while the expansion of invasive mosquito vectors, including Anopheles stephensi, underscores the importance of understanding how climate change, urbanization, and human mobility influence mosquito distribution and disease risk (WHO, 2023, 2024, 2025). 

In North America, West Nile virus remains a major mosquito-borne disease concern. In 2025, the United States reported 2,167 cases, while Canada reported 319 cases, illustrating the continued importance of mosquito surveillance across the region (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2026; Public Health Agency of Canada [PHAC], 2026). In Europe and Eurasia, West Nile virus, dengue, and chikungunya are growing concerns in areas where mosquito vectors are becoming established or expanding their geographic range. In 2026, European surveillance documented record geographic spread of West Nile virus across the EU/EEA, while warmer conditions are helping invasive Aedes mosquitoes expand into new areas (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control [ECDC], 2026; European Commission, 2026).  

Together, these regional contexts highlight the value of a common approach that combines mosquito observations with environmental data. Through GLOBE, participants can investigate where mosquitoes occur, explore the environmental conditions associated with their habitats, and connect local observations with broader Earth-system processes and locally relevant environmental and public health questions. 

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Historic data (1999–2025): West Nile virus. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/historic-data.html  

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (2026). Surveillance of West Nile virus infections in humans and animals in Europe, monthly report. https://wnv-monthly.ecdc.europa.eu/  

European Commission. (2026). Vector-borne diseases. https://health.ec.europa.eu/health-emergency-preparedness-and-response-hera/vector-borne-diseases_en  

Pan American Health Organization. (2026, February 20). PAHO updates dengue situation in the Americas, recommends strengthened surveillance and health system preparedness. https://www.paho.org/en/news/20-2-2026-paho-updates-dengue-situation-americas-recommends-strengthened-surveillance-and  

Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization. (2026, February 18). Epidemiological update: Dengue in the Americas Region. https://www.paho.org/en/documents/epidemiological-update-dengue-americas-region-18-february-2026  

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2026). Mosquito-borne disease surveillance: Annual reports. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/zoonoses/mosquito/annual-report.html   

World Health Organization. (2023, January 27). Vector alert: Anopheles stephensi invasion and spread in Africa and Sri Lanka. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240067714  

World Health Organization. (2024). Surveillance and control of Anopheles stephensi: Country experiences. https://www.who.int/publications/b/74138  

World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. (n.d.). Invasive vectors. https://www.emro.who.int/malaria-and-vector-borne-and-neglected-tropical-diseases/vector-control/invasive-vectors.html 

World Health Organization. (2025, December 4). World malaria report 2025: Addressing the threat of antimalarial drug resistance. https://www.who.int/publications/i/9789240117822  

World Health Organization. (2025, September 25). Coordinate and strengthen efforts to combat dengue: WHO. https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/detail/25-09-2025-coordinate-and-strengthen-efforts-to-combat-dengue-who  

World Health Organization. (2026, April 1). Anopheles stephensi elimination strategy. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/anopheles-stephensi-elimination-strategy  

There are two ways to be part of this initiative!  

Join as an Explorer

Join the initiative as an Explorer by completing the following activities: 

  • Learn about the initiative. Attend the Buzz Around the World virtual launch event or review the recording and materials. 
  • Observe. Complete at least one mosquito habitat observation using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper in the GLOBE Observer app during your country's data collection window. Take observations only when it is safe to do so and while wearing appropriate protective gear. For additional safety guidance, go to Taking Mosquito Habitat Observations 
  • Submit your observations. Upload your observations using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper. 
  • Share your experience. If you would like, share a brief reflection, image, or video about your experience as an Explorer in the Facebook group (coming soon). Facilitators working with youth can share the youth’s work on their behalf. 

This pathway is recommended for anyone new to the Initiative. 

Join as an Investigator  

Investigators will go beyond observing mosquito habitats to investigate the environmental conditions associated with them. 

After making and submitting observations, Investigators will complete the following activities:  

  • Share your progress, findings, and experiencesusing the Mosquito Habitat Mapper in the Facebook  group (coming soon) to help learn from one another and also in your local area. Facilitators working with youth can share the youth’s work on their behalf. 
  • Contribute to a research or community awareness project:  
    • Option 1: Connect to Ongoing Work. Find an existing research project or local  community action that you could join or contribute to through your mosquito habitat observations. 
    • Option 2: Investigate a Research Question. Examine relationships between mosquito habitats and other environmental conditions and/or patterns and trends in regional data. Refer to the Be an Investigator: Observation to Action Guidance section. 
    • Option 3: Propose a Community Awareness Project. Connect your observations and findings to local needs and priorities to raise awareness about local mosquito issues and potential mitigation options. 

Need Some Inspiration for Research and Community Projects? 

Explore the projects below to see how other GLOBE participants have investigated mosquito habitats and related environmental conditions. Let their work inspire your own investigation! 

Primary-Level Projects 

Secondary – Level Projects 

Undergraduate and Graduate-Level Projects 

You have decided to go beyond observing mosquito habitats to investigate the environmental conditions associated with them. Now, you may be wondering: Where should I start? 

1. Develop a Research Question 

Start by asking: Where are mosquitoes found, and why? Consider what you would like to learn about mosquito habitats and the environmental conditions associated with them. Develop a research question that reflects your interests and local context. 

2. Collect Data 

Gather mosquito habitat observations and any additional information relevant to your research question. Where feasible, collect observations at different locations or times to explore possible patterns and changes. 

3. Analyze Your Findings 

Review your observations to identify patterns, differences, or changes over time. Consider what your findings suggest about mosquito habitats and whether further investigation is needed. 

4. Report Your Results and Consider Action 

Share your findings with your community through a presentation, report, or other communication activity. Consider how your findings could contribute to existing research, connect with local initiatives, raise community awareness, or inform action related to mosquito habitats. 

Remember: Scientific investigation does not end with data collection. Analyzing observations, sharing findings, and connecting them to local priorities can help communities better understand mosquito habitats and explore opportunities for informed action.

Virtual Launch Event

Buzz Around the World: A GLOBE Cross-Regional Mosquito Initiative! 

Event Date: 2026-11-12 - 2026-11-12  
Event Time: 14:00 pm UTC - 15:00 pm UTC  
Location: Online 

Join the virtual launch webinar of Buzz Around the World: A GLOBE Cross-Regional Mosquito Initiative. 

This virtual launch event will introduce the initiative, explore why mosquito research matters, and provide a refresher on using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper in the GLOBE Observer app. 

The community will have multiple opportunities to connect throughout the initiative to support each other and deepen scientific understanding. 

Learn more and register for the virtual launch event.  

Event Topics: Webinars

Mosquito Habitat Mapper in the GLOBE Observer app 

  1. Taking mosquito habitat observations, it provides a step-by-step guide for mosquito observations, tips and tricks for data collection and frequently asked questions. 
  2. The GLOBE Mosquito Habitat Mapper app video demo (English) 
  3. The GLOBE Mosquito Habitat Mapper app video demo (Spanish) 
  4. Mosquito Habitat Mapper tutorial presentation