Our Insectary

AIRID's research is supported by a growing network of specialized laboratories and field sites designed to deliver high-quality, Africa-led scientific research. Each facility plays a critical role in generating evidence for disease control, product evaluation, and innovation. Our facilities are staffed by dedicated teams of supervisors, research assistants, and technicians who ensure operational excellence and adherence to international standards.

The Insectary at AIRID is a high-quality entomological facility that supports the rearing, maintenance, and manipulation of mosquito colonies essential for a wide range of vector biology research. It provides standardized and well-characterized colonies of Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex mosquitoes used in laboratory bioassays, behavioral experiments, vector competence studies, and infection trials.

All rearing activities are conducted under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)-compliant conditions, with rigorous quality control and environmental monitoring. The insectary plays a foundational role in maintaining colony integrity and ensuring reproducibility and reliability in entomological research.

• Maintenance of insecticide-susceptible and field-derived resistant mosquito strains
• Support for experimental mosquito infections with Plasmodium and other pathogens
• Monitoring of life-history traits (e.g., longevity, fecundity, emergence rates)
• Selection and characterization of specific mosquito lines with desired traits (e.g., resistance, species complex)

The insectary includes:

• Temperature- and humidity-controlled rearing rooms
• Larval and pupal trays for aquatic stage development
• Adult holding cages for mating and oviposition
• Blood-feeding stations, including membrane feeders and animal hosts (where approved)
• Dedicated preparation and waste-handling areas
• Colony record systems for tracking strain lineage, performance, and health

A well-maintained insectary is the backbone of high-quality vector control research. It ensures the availability of consistent, healthy mosquito populations for experimental use—whether for evaluating insecticide efficacy, understanding transmission dynamics, or developing new tools. By maintaining both susceptible and resistant colonies, AIRID is positioned to test how products perform against real-world resistance profiles, helping national and global partners make informed decisions on vector control strategies.

Our mosquito strains have important characteristics (for example, susceptibility or resistance to insecticides) that are essential for the testing of Malaria vector control products. The insectary is designed to prevent any forms of contamination between mosquito strains. We can provide you with mosquito eggs, larvae or adults.