Abstract: In backyards and communities worldwide, citizen scientists support mosquito control efforts. NASA GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper is a free mobile app that connects the public with scientific researchers, mosquito management professionals, and policymakers. The app encourages users to identify and report standing water habitats and remove them from use as mosquito breeding sites. Users document their observations by photographing the larvae and habitats they find. In an optional step, users report the surrounding land cover and land use with photographs. With each submitted observation, they are supporting future vector modeling capabilities with satellite data. Mosquito Habitat Mapper data are shared in an open database for use by scientific researchers, mosquito management professionals, and educators. These data are also included as part of the citizen science data accessible through the Global Mosquito Observations Dashboard (GMOD).
We introduce the app and provide examples of professional mosquito control collaborations, research projects that use this data, and access to high-quality educational resources that are freely available for anyone in public outreach programs. With more than 34K data submissions, GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper is now available in 11 languages in 127 countries.
