73 - Engage communities in mosquito surveillance and mitigation using NASA’s GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper citizen science tool for vector control and research

Abstract: The NASA GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper is a citizen science data collection mobile application that supports two objectives: (1) support the critical public participation in mosquito surveillance and mitigation needed to reduce the global burden of vector borne disease; and (2) to enable researchers to leverage the velocity and volume of participatory science data in predictive modeling and ecological research.



Mosquito populations and disease transmission patterns vary widely between different areas, even within the same city or region. Community-based surveillance allows for the collection of localized, real-time data about mosquito activity, breeding sites, and the presence of disease-carrying species. These fine-grained data enable targeted vector control interventions, such as spraying or eliminating breeding sites, in high-risk areas. Simultaneously, community members gain familiarity with local landscape features that are exploited as mosquito breeding sites and can be more effective in breeding site mitigation.



Satellite data are used routinely to develop predictive risk models of mosquito-borne diseases by providing essential environmental and climatic information that affects mosquito populations and disease transmission. Downscaling is crucial for improving resolution for accurate mosquito habitat mapping. Importantly, citizen science mosquito surveillance data can be associated with GLOBE Observer Land Cover data, enabling the study of microenvironmental and microclimatic parameters associated with mosquito breeding sites. Between 2017–2024, citizen scientists worldwide submitted over 40,000 Mosquito Habitat Mapper observations and over 50,000 Land Cover observations, providing an unprecedented opportunity to apply quantitative ecological analyses to mosquito habitat data. We discuss how community-based mosquito surveillance using the GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper app supports vector-borne disease education, public health outcomes, and predictive disease risk modeling research.