Mosquitoes! Are You Crazy?
Mosquitoes! Are You Crazy?
To most Minnesotans, mosquitoes are a big summer-time
annoyance. Mosquitoes are also feared because of their roles as transmitters of
diseases. Fortunately, it is uncommon for someone to get a disease from the kinds of mosquitoes found in Minnesota. Nevertheless, Minnesotans have to be aware of the potential dangers of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are an important part of the ecosystem, providing an important food source for bats, birds, and other insectivores.
To some, mosquitoes can be interesting, but to most they are just pests their ecological importance is simply misunderstood.
They are found throughout the world in close proximity to standing water, which they require in order
for their eggs to hatch and to complete their life cycles.
More Than You Would Ever Want to Know About Mosquitoes
- There are roughly 2,700 species of mosquitoes in the world today.
- Mosquitoes are found at many different altitudes, from sea level to
3600 meters (10,800 feet).
- An average mosquito (Aedes aegypti) weighs roughly 2 - 2.5 mg.
- The average "serving" of blood taken by a mosquito
is around 5 millionths of a liter, or 5 microliters.
- Mosquitoes fly at an estimated velocity of 1 - 1.5 miles per hour.
- Some mosquitoes (salt marsh mosquitoes) can migrate as far as 75 -
100 miles.
- Mosquitoes live for roughly 15-65 days.
- A mosquito can detect a host from up to 25 - 30 meters.
- Mosquitoes locate their prey (i.e. YOU) by vision, and by detecting
infra-red radiation, carbon dioxide, and lactic acid emitted by hosts.
- Mosquito saliva contains anti-coagulants to prevent the host's blood
from clotting. These foreign proteins cause the allergic reaction associated
with mosquito bites.
- Some people are more attractive to mosquitoes than others (it is not known
why).
- Male mosquitoes never suck blood. Females feed on blood only to
obtain protein for egg production. The main purpose of the male mosquito is for keeping the species
from extinction.
- Males and non-reproductive females feed on plant nectar.
- Mosquito eggs can remain dormant for over a year, and will hatch if
flooded with water.
- More than 50 species of mosquito are known to be resistant to at
least one insecticide.
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