CHILDREN as young as 10 are being trained to be dengue busters, collecting and studying the mosquitoes that spread the potentially life-threatening disease.

Queensland Health, James Cook University and Cairns Regional Council are testing a dengue fever education campaign in Cairns schools, in an attempt to raise awareness of the disease from an early age.

As part of the project, students in years 5 to 7 are taught how to safely collect Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, breed them, and observe and record their life cycle, before disposing of the insects.

Education Queensland regional science manager Adam Hooper said there was no danger of catching dengue from the studies.

Students are taught to trap larval mosquitoes inside biodegradable buckets - the same equipment used by Queensland Health's dengue response team.

The mosquito education campaign has been tested at Parramatta, Edge Hill and Port Douglas state schools, with the potential to be rolled out to other Far Northern schools.

It is being taught as part of the science curriculum.

"Every child here knows not to go swimming from November to May because of stingers," Mr Hooper said.

"Or they can tell you what the categories of cyclones are and what they mean, but they can't tell you how long it takes a mosquito to reach adulthood, even though last year we had 930 cases of dengue fever in Cairns, which has the potential to be a very serious long-term problem."

Cairns Mayor Val Schier said the program was a brilliant way to raise community awareness about the dangers of dengue.

"Young children have open minds and a natural curiosity, as well as a tendency to share school projects and information with adult members of their families," Cr Schier said.

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