School of Biosciences Lecturer, Dr Scott Hayward, poses the question in his recent research perspective 'Do insects get sick?' The answer is complex. For years it was thought little or no effect, because the insects typically showed no obvious symptoms. However, upon closer inspection it is apparent that insects do initiate an immune response (with many similarities to the human response), and there are several examples of viruses having negative effects, such as a reduced life span in mosquitoes carrying Malaria.