A major insecticide resistance mechanism in insect pests is knock‐down resistance ( kdr ) caused by mutations in the voltage‐gated sodium channel ( Vgsc ) gene. Despite being common in most malaria Anopheles vector species, kdr mutations have never been observed in Anopheles funestus , the principal malaria vector in Eastern and Southern Africa, with resistance mainly being conferred by detoxification enzymes. In a parallel st...