The complex swarming dynamics of malaria mosquitoes emerges from simple minimally-interactive behavioral rules

Abstract

Complex coordinated group behaviors such as bird flocking and fish schooling often rely on intricate interactions among individuals. In these groups, neighbors exhibit strong mutual attraction, alignment, and collision avoidance. Here, we tested whether insect swarms arise from similar simple behavioral rules. Using high-speed videography and agent-based modeling, we identified the behavioral rules governing mating swarms of flying malaria mosquitoes, marking the first such analysis for any insect species. We found that, unlike birds and fish, mosquito swarming behavior is driven primarily by environmental cues like the sunset horizon and ground objects. In fact, interactions between conspecifics are limited to only close-range collision avoidance behaviors. Thus, insect swarming seems fundamentally distinct from bird flocking and fish schooling.