There are a number of “interesting” facts that you should know about mosquitoes which surround us almost 24-7.
(i) Of the countless types of pests on Earth, mosquitoes are the deadliest pests of them all! This is because more deaths are associated with mosquitoes compared to others. They carry a number of deadly diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, encephalitis, and even heartworm that is fatal to dogs.
(ii) Not only can mosquitoes sense our body heat and humidity, they are also attracted to carbon dioxide we exhale, octenol and lactic acid that are inherent in our breath as well as sweat. Moreover, they are easily drawn to beer drinkers.
(iii) Male mosquitoes do not bite humans, only females do. Female mosquitoes feast on human blood for protein so that they can lay eggs whilst male mosquitoes feast only on plants or flower nectar. The saliva of a female mosquito contains an anti-coagulant which can induce an allergic reaction from the human’s immune system; this is what causes the human skin to itch and swell.
(iv) There are approximately 3,500 species of mosquitoes and not all of them feed on human blood. For example, Culiseta Melanura bites only birds and Uranotaenia Sapphirina feeds on the blood of only amphibians and reptiles.
(v) When a male and female mosquito meet, they flap their wings to the same speed and rhythm. This is their lovers’ duet.
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References: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-not-so-fun-facts-about-mosquitoes-36242998/ https://www.thoughtco.com/fascinating-facts-about-mosquitoes-1968300 https://phys.org/news/2013-03-female-mosquitoes-savvy-other-species-suitors.html (Image source)