Mosquito Facts

MOSQUITO FACTS

Mosquitoes are a variety of fly, and the word mosquito is Spanish for “little fly”. Mosquitoes are well-known throughout the world for their blood-sucking and itchy bites. What do you need to know about these biting bugs?

Mosquitoes have more than

3,500 species

They can drink up to 3 times their weight blood

Female Mosquitoes

Male last for 10 days and Female up to 6 weeks

Lifespan of Mosquitoes

HIV, Zika, West Nile Virus, Malaria, EEE Virus etc

They Transmit

175 Species of Mosquito- the culex and aedes are most common.

Found in US

Females suck blood to get nourishment for their eggs

Mosquito Nourishment

Females can lay up to 300 eggs at a time on the surface of standing water

Water to Breed

A group of mosquitoes is called a swarm

Swarm

Type of Mosquitoes

The world’s deadliest animal is no shark, no crocodile, and not even the king of the jungle!

Causing more than a million deaths per year and existing in more than 3500 different types, Mosquitoes are the deadliest of all animals. Here are the most common species found in the US:

CULEX

The deadliest genus of mosquitoes.

CULEX PIPIENS

Commonly referred to as the ‘House Mosquito’, Culex Pipiens largely populate the Northern US. Like most mosquito types, Culex Pipiens lay their eggs in stagnant water bodies.

CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS

Populating tropical regions, the Southern House Mosquito nest mostly in the Southern United States. Nocturnal predators by nature, female Culex Quinquefasciatus lay large numbers of eggs that they leave afloat atop stagnant and polluted water bodies. They are vectors for various diseases including, West Nile Virus and St. Louis encephalitis.

AEDES

Aedes populate all continents except Antartica.

AEDES AEGYPTI

This tiny creature has been responsible for millions of deaths all over the world. From Dengue to Chikungunya to Mayaro, the ‘Yellow Fever Mosquito’originated in Africa and has since spread all over the world. Recognizable by distinct white markings on the hind legs, Aedes Aegypti bites during the day and mostly thrives in subtropical and temperate regions.

CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS

Owing to international travels, tours, and transportation, the Asian Tiger Mosquito (or Forest Mosquito) has spread to countries all over the world. Distinguishable by prominent white bands on the upper thorax and the legs, the Aedes Albopictus thrives in warm weather.

Day-time biters, they lay their eggs in a variety of nooks and crooks, and standing water. Preferring to habituate in areas largely populated by humans, the Albopictus are the carriers of some of the most life-threatening human diseases. Their eggs are capable of withstanding cold temperatures and can hibernate on till the arrival of spring.

ANOPHELES

With a body recognizably short and squat, the Anopheles is a genus of mosquitoes infamous for being the largest transmitters of malaria to humans. Today, all malaria-transmitting Anopheles species have been exterminated from first world countries.

Mosquito Behavior

• Want to lure a mosquito towards yourself? All you have to do is exhale. Take a deep breath in, and then out. As you do so, your mouth releases more than 100 gaseous plumes and odors that mosquitoes can sense all the way to you.
• Female mosquitoes feed on iron and calcium, which is why they are so devoted to getting a bite of you. Female mosquitoes are the only ones that drink blood because they need blood meals in order to reproduce.
• Have you ever heard someone say that they are more prone to mosquito bites because they ‘taste better’? While there is no exact scientific evidence to prove this occurrence, mosquito biting patterns suggest that mosquitoes can be attracted towards certain scents and body types. Pregnant women and larger bodies, as well as sharper perfumes garner the attention of female mosquitoes more so than other individuals.
• Mosquitoes are attracted to bright lights, like most other insects. Hyper bright wavelengths attract them. That is why buzz zappers and traps feature bright lights.
• Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. They can lay their eggs in as little as an inch of still water. Compared to this, gutters are an ultimate safe haven and that is where they thrive in abundance.

Mosquito Prevention

• Window screens Netted windows and door screens contribute majorly to keeping mosquitoes out of your house as windows and open doors are main entrance points for mosquitoes.
• Full clothing The most common mosquito bite-points on the human body are the arms and legs. When in your garden or outside late in the evening, you can prevent getting bitten by wearing clothing that is long sleeved and full-bottomed.
• Mosquito fish Mosquitoes habituate on stagnant water, which is most often present in the forms of bird baths and fish ponds in American houses. By keeping Mosquito Fish as a pet, you can employ larvicide as a method to prevent mosquito breeding on your property.
• Less appealing body scents Mosquito behavior patterns prove that mosquitoes are drawn towards people wearing strong perfumes or/and body sprays. By switching to milder scents, you can try to evade mosquito bites.
• Replace the bright lights Mosquitoes are attracted towards high beams and rays. Lights of these frequencies are often found on porches or doorsteps of houses. Mosquito gatherings at these spots can be halted by replacing the high lights with lower ones that serve as mosquito repellants.