Nobody likes mosquitoes. But our hatred of these pesky bugs is also combined with an ironic curiosity to know more about them. Here are some mosquito facts you may not know and a few facts that can help you avoid becoming a victim of their love bites.
1. Female mosquitoes can live twice as long
Like humans, the female lives longer than the male, but is known to have a greater difference. Given the appropriate environment, an adult female can live for more than a month, while males normally do not exceed two weeks.
2. Only Female Mosquitoes Bite
Actually, they don't bite, but they suck. Once it finds its target, it inserts its long, razor-sharp proboscis (the same size as their mouth) through the skin in search of a blood meal to feed its future eggs. If left undisturbed, the female will feed until she is completely full.
3. Popularity Contest?
To mate, the males form large flocks at dusk and the females come in to get their pick. Size is not important for mosquitoes. Studies show that men of average height attract the most females due to their ability to stay (in the air) longer.
4. Finding the perfect harmony
The buzzing sound you hear from mosquitoes is the result of their wings beating rapidly. It is now known that once a male and female mosquito have found the perfect partner, they will synchronize their chirps.
5. Mosquitoes don't like fans
You can use creams, sprays, suppositories, etc. you can use, but a great mosquito repellent that doesn't leave you smelling is a fan of...well, mosquito repellent... Due to their incredibly light weight, it becomes even more difficult for mosquitoes to maneuver their flight and stay on target.
6. "Mosquito" is a Spanish word meaning "Little fly".
A little Spanish lesson: mosca means fly in Spanish. In Spanish, the diminutive form of the base word is used to describe something smaller but similar. Therefore, the result is a mosquito.
7. Bill Gates also hates mosquitoes
The Anopheles mosquito species is the most common vector of malaria in humans. 90% of malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In February 2009, philanthropist Bill Gates released a mosquito in a jar at a technology conference in California to pitch his idea for funding for the future development of a malaria vaccine.
8. Mosquitoes Like Your Breath and Sweat
Have you ever been told that mosquitoes bite you in particular because you are so cute? Actually no...the most attractive to mosquitoes are the carbon dioxide from our mouths and certain aromas produced by each person's body. In stark contrast to the sweet, mosquitoes are said to fly more toward sweaty surfaces.
9. Mosquitoes Stay Close to Home
A mosquito can develop from an egg to an adult in 4 days, but it hardly leaves the "nest". Because it only travels between 1 and 1.5 miles per hour, it rarely ventures beyond a 1-mile radius of its birthplace during its short life cycle.
10. There are many species of mosquitoes
Between 150 and 200 of these can be found in North America. West Virginia claims the fewest species (26), while Texas claims the most (85). Every July, the small town of Clute Texas hosts the Great Texas Mosquito Festival, complete with a mosquito chase and mosquito calling contest.
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