Mosquito Hunter

Mosquito Hunter is Clifford Mutero’s first autobiographical account. It focuses on the evolution of his entomological career, which was ignited in his early childhood from around the age of six up to the stage when he completed his PhD studies in insect science at age thirty. It is a one-of-a-kind narration that sets out geosocial, historical, and entomological facts with a brand of humor that has the potential to instruct and inspire a new generation of would-be natural scientists through the soft lore behind scientific investigation. Set mainly in a quintessentially rural farming community in Central Kenya and also in coastal Kenya, this narration reflects the abundance of stories based on village events, which were enriched by news and music from the wider world via the bridging power of radio. Significantly, Mosquito Hunter pays high tribute to the various mentors who inspired the author towards research of the natural environment. Chief among them is his father, Felix Mutero, whose all-round mastery of efficient farming practices provided a master class of sorts to the future scholar. Themes ranging from health, education, love, family, music, poverty, and professional politics are all woven into this telling of the making of that rare species, the African insect scientist.