23 October 2025 Pirbright researchers help uncover origins of London Underground mosquito Institute fieldwork informs evolutionary biology study into Culex pipiens Research by scientists at The Pirbright Institute has supported an international study disproving the theory that London Underground mosquitoes – Culex pipiens form molestus - evolved in urban subways and cellars in northern… Read more
20 October 2025 Pirbright contributes £50m a year to UK economy A new report highlights how The Pirbright Institute contributes £50m a year to the UK economy. Commissioned by Pirbright and carried out by public policy analysts SQW, the evaluation shows this equates to a Gross Value Added (GVA) economic impact of £471m over the past decade. The Institute is a… Read more
02 September 2024 Watch: How Pirbright scientists predict, detect, and tackle bluetongue virus Spread by biting midges, bluetongue virus poses a significant threat to livestock production and trade. Discover how scientists at The Pirbright Institute predict, detect, understand and respond to bluetongue virus. Read more
08 December 2023 Pirbright joins hub to tackle vector-borne diseases The Pirbright Institute is to work with scientific partners to establish a centre where experts tackle diseases spread by insects, ticks and mites. The £1.5m One Health Vector-Borne Diseases Hub is led by Imperial College London and funded by Defra and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences… Read more
27 July 2023 Meet Pirbright’s new Fellows Say hello to three new Fellows at The Pirbright Institute, discover their journey to joining the organisation and find out what research their new groups will be undertaking. Dr Marion England - Vector Ecology Tell us about your career before you were made a Fellow at Pirbright My PhD, which I… Read more
24 June 2021 Pirbright midges featured in ZSL London Zoo exhibit Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have worked with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) London Zoo to showcase the importance of Culicoides biting midges within the Zoo’s revamped ‘ Tiny Giants’ exhibit. The exhibit shines a spotlight on the planet’s smallest animals, where visitors will find… Read more
17 April 2020 Monitoring midge habits in zoos could hold important clues for disease outbreaks The first study to confirm the feeding habits of midges on exotic animals in UK zoos has been published in Parasites and Vectors and could hold important clues to prevent disease outbreaks in Northern Europe. A team of researchers from The Pirbright Institute, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)… Read more
01 July 2019 Pirbright team show UK midge season has extended due to climate change A team of scientists at The Pirbright Institute, Rothamsted Research, The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the Met Office have provided the first evidence that the UK midge season has extended over the last 40 years due to climate change. The findings could help scientists to make better… Read more
22 August 2018 Pirbright and Marwell Zoo show how climate change could increase disease risk in the UK The good health of animals is Marwell Zoo’s highest priority, but how can Marwell protect its residents against exotic diseases? Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have helped to create an exhibit in the Zoo’s new Tropical House to explain how climate change may increase the risk of diseases… Read more
01 June 2017 UK study of mosquito feeding habits shows some species more choosy than others The largest study of blood feeding by mosquitoes ever conducted in the UK, has revealed that some species are more selective than others when choosing a host. Researchers aimed to discover which birds and mammals mosquitoes were biting in order to understand the potential for the UK to experience… Read more
