What is medical entomology?
Medical entomology is the study of insects, and related arthropods, that impact the health of people and our domesticated animals. Health threats generally come in the form of venom, delivered by sting or bite, and pathogens (disease causing organisms) transferred by a bite.
Bees, wasps, ants, and scorpions, sting in order to subdue prey and defend themselves. Spiders, some mites, some true bugs, flies, fleas, lice, mosquitoes, and ticks bite to feed. While feeding pathogens may be tranferred to the host animal.
The following are standard reference books in the fields of medical entomology:
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Western black-legged tick. Transmits Lyme disease in western US. Photo is black and white.
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