Mosquito season: when bloodsuckers appear and disappear

One of the most resilient types of pests are mosquitoes, which can adapt to almost any conditions. With the onset of the warm season, a whole horde of such insects attack you and your loved ones. It is almost impossible to be near bodies of water in the evening, because every nature lover will be immediately bitten. Many people wonder where mosquitoes come from and why they attack people. One harmless bite can become a source of severe allergies or cause a dangerous infection. That is why you need to know your enemy by sight.

After a mosquito enters an apartment, it immediately begins to search for a victim. The fate of many insects is very deplorable - people track them down by their squeaks and immediately kill them. Other individuals act exclusively under the cover of night and are completely invisible, as they bite sleeping people. How long do parasites live and under what conditions do they usually die?

Types of mosquitoes

There are more than three thousand species of mosquitoes. In the article we will consider the most common varieties that people most often encounter. Not all of the known and widespread mosquitoes in our area drink blood. Let's find out which mosquitoes can cause harm to humans, and which are completely harmless.

Common mosquito (squeaker)

An adult squeak mosquito reaches 7 mm, the legs are long, the wings are narrow and transparent, the body color is gray. They belong to the species Culex. Females are superior to males in body size and antennae length. In males, the proboscis is not so developed as to pierce the skin of a mammal, so the basis of their diet is plant foods. Only females bite and drink lymph. The life cycle of a mosquito does not exceed 48 days. The habitat and reproduction are places with high levels of humidity. This species is especially common in the central zone of our country.

Malaria mosquito (Anopheles)

Anopheles (malarial mosquito) is especially dangerous for humans, as it carries parasites and viruses that cause severe pathologies: plasmodium and malaria. In size they practically do not differ from ordinary representatives of this family. The only peculiarity: long hind legs. The habitat of this mosquito is places near bodies of water, since reproduction is possible only in the presence of an aquatic environment.

Centipede mosquito (Karamor)

The centipede mosquito can reach a length of 8 cm, so it is often confused with the malaria mosquito. Karamor is the largest species in the world. It lives in places with high levels of humidity: near water bodies, in forest thickets and in swamps. This type of mosquito is not dangerous for humans, since the insect’s diet consists exclusively of plant foods. However, this species can cause significant damage to agricultural crops. This is especially true for larvae, which are extremely gluttonous.

Winter mosquitoes (Chionea)

In addition to the Karamora, winter mosquitoes differ from the above species by their impressive size. The basis of their diet is products of decomposing plants. They do not pose a danger to humans, since they are not among the blood-sucking insects. Adults can reach sizes up to 2 cm. They do not disappear all year round, so they can be seen even in the cold season.

Tiger mosquitoes

It is distinguished by the presence of white stripes on the body and legs, larger size and darker color. Habitat: subtropics and tropics. They are aggressive. They are carriers of dangerous infectious diseases, for example, dengue or yellow fever, and therefore pose a danger to humans. The basis of the diet of mosquitoes of this species is the blood of mammals. The bites are very painful.

Stinging mosquitoes

An adult stinging mosquito reaches 12 mm. The habitat of insects of this species is forest thickets. The color of the insects is beige-yellow, there are dark spots on the wings, and white rings on the legs. Females differ from males in having a long proboscis and shaggy antennae. Stinging mosquitoes pose a danger to humans, as they spread a serious disease - tularemia.

Mosquito Dergun

The habitat of these insects is dense vegetation on the shores of small bodies of water. The lifespan of mosquitoes of this species is no more than 5 days. For humans, the jerk mosquito does not pose a danger, since it feeds exclusively on plant foods. The adult is dark brown in color with relatively long legs.

Biting mosquitoes

This inhabitant of cool tundra zones can be found everywhere except the continent located in the very south of the Earth. The feature that distinguishes it from others is the bright white stripes, with which the owner looks very impressive. It gives rise to the development of its offspring on the banks of swamps at the end of autumn.

Grown specimens can be life-threatening, infecting the traveler they meet with an infectious disease.

How is a female mosquito different from a male?

Almost all insects of the same species differ from each other in their body structure, depending on their gender, and mosquitoes are no exception. Main differences:

• Male mosquitoes have bushy, bushy antennae. The female's antennae are much smaller and practically invisible, because she does not have to look for a partner.
• The female common mosquito has a well-developed mouthparts, with which she bites the skin and sucks blood, thereby providing herself with food. The male feeds on plant foods, so his mouthparts are simpler and not adapted for piercing and sucking blood.
• The sensory abilities of female mosquitoes are more developed. They need this to find a donor. Male squeak mosquitoes do not have these characteristics because they do not need to search for prey.

In addition, the lifespan of a female is twice that of a male.

A brief introduction to insects

Mosquitoes (other “official” names are true or blood-sucking mosquitoes) - from the point of view of biological classification, they are the family Culicidae, assigned to the group of Long-whiskers and the order of Diptera insects, which are characterized by sexual reproduction and complete transformation (metamorphoses from egg to adult: o These will be discussed in detail below).

Adult female mosquitoes drink human blood and are part of the midges - a group of blood-sucking insects, for which they have earned strong dislike from people

Mosquitoes are small flying insects. The length of their thin and soft body varies from 4 mm to 15 mm in different species. All representatives of the family Culicidae are characterized by the presence of long legs, which end in 2 claws for better grip on surfaces and stability, and narrow transparent wings, consisting of many caps. Their span ranges from 5 mm for the smallest species to 30 mm.

In tropical regions there are real giants: for example, long-legged mosquitoes, or caramors, in favorable conditions they grow up to 10 cm in length, which is a record figure.

Most species of the Mosquito family have a nondescript color: gray, brown, yellow. Much less often (and mainly in southern countries) black or green specimens are found. The thoracic region of insects is wider than the abdomen. The long antennae, necessary for orienting the insect in space, are formed by 15 segments.

The mosquito's mouthparts are a piercing-sucking type. It is hidden in the lower lip of the insect, which is shaped like a tube. Inside it are sharp jaw stilettos, similar to blades. They are needed to cut a microscopic hole in the skin, through which the sucking proboscis then penetrates to the layer of capillaries. Moreover, in females it consists of piercing bristles, which are absent in males.

By the word “mosquito,” people most often mean the squeaky mosquito. It is he who annoys people with his obsessive buzzing and painful bites.

In total, the Mosquito family has 3,000 species, divided into 38 genera. Most of them live in southern countries with a tropical climate. Only 100 species, representing 3 genera, live on the territory of Russia: true mosquitoes, biting mosquitoes and malaria mosquitoes.

How do mosquitoes reproduce?

The mating behavior of mosquitoes is called “eurygamy.” Males form a swarm and wait for females. With their sensitive antennae, they detect the subtle squeak of the females’ wings, which they emit during the mating season. A female caught in such a “cloud” of male mosquitoes becomes the sexual partner of the one who first manages to latch onto her with his appendages and fertilize her. After fertilization, females go in search of a donor in order to obtain enough nutrients from the blood that are necessary for laying eggs.

The most suitable places for mosquitoes to lay eggs:

• the surface of a weakly flowing or standing body of water;
• moist soil on the shore;
• objects floating on the water (leaves, twigs).

A high level of humidity is important to maintain egg viability. The female lays eggs every 2-3 days. Each clutch contains 30-150 pieces. The most prolific female mosquitoes are capable of laying up to 300 eggs at a time.

A few days later, larvae hatch from the laid eggs. There are species of mosquitoes that leave eggs throughout the winter. The larva develops in about 20 days, going through four stages of molting, after which it turns into a pupa. This process directly depends on the temperature of the habitat. Adults are formed 7-14 days after the last molt. In some cases, the formation process may take up to a month.

How to prevent mosquitoes

In order not to wonder where blood-sucking mosquitoes come from, it is necessary to take certain measures in advance. With their help, you can minimize the likelihood of blood-sucking insects.

1. Irregularities and holes that are present in the local area must be filled. After all, in such places moisture and water accumulate, which pests use to lay eggs.
2. Containers and canisters in which rainwater and melted snow accumulate should be removed from the site. To store containers, use only ventilated areas. Some gardeners recommend turning the container over to prevent the accumulation of water and the appearance of larvae.
3. Containers intended for birds and animals must be cleaned regularly. If you do not perform this procedure 1-2 times a week, then small worms will soon appear in them.
4. Plants whose aroma is unpleasant for mosquitoes are planted on the site or on the windowsill. Experienced summer residents use such plants to create a kind of buffer zone.

By taking preventive measures, you can eliminate the appearance of mosquitoes in your home.

Life cycle of a mosquito

Regardless of the species, the life cycle of mosquitoes follows a similar pattern and consists of four stages:

• Egg - once every 2-3 days, the female is able to lay 30-150 units. Ripening occurs within a period of 2 days to a week.
• The larva hatches from the egg and continues to develop, living in a body of water and feeding on microorganisms living in it. Breathing is carried out through a special tube.
• The pupa is formed after going through four molts. The development period in the aquatic environment is up to 5 days. As it matures, it acquires a black tint.
• Imago is the stage of development when the pupa turns into an adult mosquito, whose life activities continue on land.

Night activities

Mosquitoes begin active flight between 20:00 and 22:00 in the evening, and also at 4-6:00 in the morning. It is at this time that the temperature becomes comfortable, atmospheric pressure normalizes, and humidity rises.

Night activity

Females bite more often in the evening, much less often in the morning. The best option is a sleeping person or animal that does not respond to squeaks. In search of prey, females are able to cover distances of up to 50 km. Scientists conducted a study and found that mosquitoes are especially aggressive during the full moon. During this time, they bite 500 times more often than usual.

What do mosquitoes eat and why do they bite?

The diet of mosquitoes mainly consists of food of plant origin. Blood-sucking females are ectoparasites. Certain species must obtain sufficient valuable substances from the lymph in order to lay eggs. Thus, mosquitoes obtain food from two sources: plants and mammals. Blood and plant foods are a source of carbohydrates - energy. In lymph, the content of useful substances is much higher: fats (lipids), proteins. The latter is the main material for egg production.

Interesting Facts

Reproduction is impossible without saturating the females with human blood. Therefore, mosquitoes are spread over almost all areas of land where humans live. They stay close to settlements so that they can drink the blood of people at any time.

Each species has its own preferences in temperature and lighting conditions. Some people like shady ponds, others like well-lit ones. Biologists have calculated that the larvae are able to develop when the water temperature is 10–35 °C, but between 25 °C and 30 °C is considered most comfortable.

Mosquitoes rarely lay eggs in large bodies of water where many fish live, because they readily feed on eggs.

The larva will die if the water is contaminated with oil products: they form a film on the surface through which the worms cannot breathe. But some species show enviable adaptation, having adapted to use oxygen dissolved in water for breathing.

The process of how mosquitoes appear has been sufficiently studied by science. These insects are characterized by high fertility and feeding on human blood. Both of these traits are directly dependent on each other.

How does a mosquito bite and drink blood?

Having discovered the donor, the female lands on his skin, clinging with tiny claws. She quickly pierces it with her sharp jaws. The female lowers her proboscis deeply into the resulting hole so that it reaches the capillaries. With its help, it absorbs blood, which contains many nutrients. The process takes no more than a minute. As it becomes saturated, the insect's body increases in size and the abdominal walls gradually stretch.

However, before starting to suck blood, the female mosquito injects her saliva with coagulants in its composition. They help slow down blood clotting, thereby facilitating the absorption process.

Activity conditions and habitats

Interestingly, laboratory studies have revealed the following pattern: the activity of mosquitoes is determined by the ambient temperature. For example, at a temperature of 25 degrees, female mosquitoes of the species C. p. pipiens f. Molestus live up to 43 days, and males - up to 19 days (the life expectancy of males is always shorter). At 20 degrees, the lifespan of insects increases by an average of another 14 days. The studies carried out led to the conclusion that warm spring and cool summer are the most comfortable seasons for mosquito activity.

However, even in winter, in the absence of optimal conditions, mosquitoes find suitable habitats for themselves. And in hot and dry summers, these insects are found both in residential premises and shaded places (entrances, basements), and in nature in damp or marshy areas. It is in such places that the likelihood of becoming a victim of bloodsuckers is highest.

What diseases do blood-sucking mosquitoes carry?

Blood-sucking insects spread viruses, bacteria and parasites. Let's look at what diseases mosquitoes carry:

• Malaria. The carrier is a malarial species. When infected with this disease, fever and joint aches are observed. A dangerous disease can even lead to death.
• Tularemia. Up to 250 cases of infection are recorded annually. The disease is characterized by fever, severe headache, weakness and aching joints. The carriers are mosquitoes and biting mosquitoes.
• West Nile fever occurs in humans in the form of an acute febrile disease with symptoms of general intoxication, moderate polyadenitis, with headaches and muscle pain, in severe cases with the development of serous meningitis, meningoencephalitis and acute flaccid paralysis. Human infection occurs through the bite of blood-sucking mosquitoes. West Nile fever is a widespread infectious disease that is endemic in more than 90 countries around the world. The most difficult situation is in the European region and North America.
• Japanese encephalitis. In our country, you can become infected in the Primorsky Territory. The symptoms of a dangerous illness in the form of fever, weakness, headache, manifest themselves sharply. Carried by common mosquitoes.
• Meningitis. When infected, weakness, fever, severe headache, and clouding of consciousness occur. In the absence of adequate therapy, it can lead to serious complications. In 10% of cases it ends in death.
• Filariasis. Mosquitoes can introduce larvae into the human body, from which they grow into nematode roundworms, which disrupt the functioning of the lymphatic system. The disease is accompanied by swelling, enlargement of any part of the body, and inflammation of the skin.

How to distinguish an anomaly mosquito from a regular one

Many people are terrified of the long-legged mosquito, which is often called the “malarial mosquito”. This gigantic insect (up to 6 cm) does not pose a danger to humans, but feeds exclusively on plant nectar.

True malaria mosquitoes (Anopheles) are carriers of dangerous parasitic diseases (malaria, filariasis). Without the necessary treatment, these diseases pose a mortal danger to humans.

These mosquitoes are distinguished by a number of the following signs, which are visible in the photo:

• dark spots on the wings
• elongated hind legs
• the length of the antennae is the same as that of the proboscis
• when landing on the skin of a victim, the malaria mosquito holds its body elevated, and the normal one holds it parallel
• The larvae in the water are horizontal (in ordinary mosquitoes they swim at an angle), and are found only in clean water bodies.

What causes a mosquito bite to itch?

Every person who has ever been bitten by a mosquito has experienced unpleasant symptoms: itching, redness and swelling. The appearance of such sensations is explained simply - by inserting her proboscis into the skin, the female mosquito injects two substances:

• An anticoagulant that slows down blood clotting, allowing the mosquito to drink the required amount of blood.
• An anesthetic that reduces sensitivity, due to which a mosquito bite may not be noticed.

The body perceives them as foreign and activates the immune system, which stimulates the release of special substances, trying to get rid of them. Their combination causes itching, and scratching the bite site only increases their generation. That is why it is recommended to endure it so as not to worsen the situation.

Search for the victim

If a female mosquito flies out to hunt, it is almost impossible to hide from her. You will not find salvation from the pest even in a deep forest. Bloodthirsty insects search for their prey by smell, movement and the amount of lactic acid aroma released. In natural conditions, finding a source of food can be difficult, but mosquitoes in an apartment are in a real paradise with a huge amount of provisions. The insect's sensitivity is developed due to the presence of special olfactory antennae. Special receptors make it possible to detect the smell that comes from the sweat of a mammal over vast distances. That is why, while walking in nature, you are exposed to an uncontrollable attack - mosquitoes flock from all over the area to dine on blood.

The importance of mosquitoes in nature

Mosquitoes bring not only harm, but also benefit. They are of great importance in nature. And their complete extermination can lead to irreparable consequences.

• Mosquitoes are food for many animals - birds, fish, and for frogs at certain times of the year they are the main food.
• While in the water, the larvae of these insects take many microelements from it. Having gone through all stages of development, the adult continues its life on land and, dying, enriches the soil.
• Male mosquitoes, feeding on nectar and plant sap, perform the important function of pollinating flowers.
• The larvae of blood-sucking insects provide food for various river inhabitants, for example, fish, spiders and other larger insects.

Mosquitoes are an important link in the food chain. It is with this insect that the next food chain begins: mosquito-frog-heron. And there are many such examples.

Bloodthirstiness of a mosquito

Among all mosquitoes, only females are distinguished by high bloodthirstiness. Males are completely harmless and feed on the nectar of flowers or plants. The craving for blood is explained by the need to complete the reproduction process. Special substances in the blood of mammals significantly accelerate the development of mosquito eggs and larvae. In some cases, even birds and fish become victims of the exorbitant appetite of female insects. Blood becomes not only a source of energy to complete reproduction, but also serves as a special building material for eggs due to its maximum protein content.

It is because of oversaturation that large mosquito species often die. Insects do not know how to stop and try to absorb more nutrients. Sometimes the amount of blood consumed is several times the body weight of the pest. The insect's abdomen swells excessively and often the body cannot cope with the huge amount of absorbed blood, resulting in death.

The other side of the coin is the intense hunger that mosquitoes experience. Often there is no way to find any food and there are no blood victims nearby. If the female is hungry, she still lays eggs, spends all the body’s available resources and suddenly dies.

When a mosquito lives through its years safely, finds food in a timely manner and is in an optimal temperature regime, then the cause of death can only be old age. Mosquitoes often serve as food for birds or other insects that eat their relatives (for example, spiders).

When do mosquitoes appear and when do they disappear?

Most species of these insects hibernate during the cold season, and wake up only with the onset of the warm season. In other mosquitoes, the larvae remain throughout the winter and begin to hatch only in the spring. To do this, the temperature at night should not fall below +10 C. Mosquitoes begin to look for shelter to overwinter. The warmer it gets, the more active the insects become. Peak activity of mosquitoes occurs in summer.

As soon as a period comes when the temperature at night does not rise above +10 C, the insects begin to gradually disappear. Overwintering mosquitoes seek shelter for the winter. When the first frost sets in, they completely disappear.

Russia has a vast territory with different climatic zones, so blood-sucking insects can appear and disappear at different times. For example, in the southern regions they become active at the very beginning of spring, and in the northern regions not earlier than June. The duration of the active phase of insect life is also connected with this.

Bloodsuckers in the northern regions

Mosquitoes are widespread throughout Russia. But in Siberia they are found in large numbers. This is due to the fact that one of the important conditions for the life of bloodsuckers is high humidity. And in this region, when the sun warms the tundra in summer, many vast swamps form, where bloodsuckers live. In arid regions, mosquitoes die quickly, even if the air temperature is favorable for their life.

These flying insects, living in the northern regions, have, in the process of evolution, acquired resistance to low temperatures. With the arrival of cold weather, only males die, and fertilized females and larvae overwinter under ice and snow. During this period, they enter diapause, which leads to a slowdown in metabolic processes, resulting in resistance to unfavorable conditions.

How and where do mosquitoes winter?

The activity of insects directly depends on the air temperature of their habitat. When this indicator decreases significantly, for example, at the beginning of autumn, blood-sucking insects disappear because they lose the ability to reproduce.

• Mosquitoes remain for the winter in the area where they live. They don't fly to another country.
• Ideal places for mosquitoes to wait out the winter are cracks, crevices in walls, curtains, windows and other nooks and crannies.

In temperate latitudes during the cold season, insects' metabolism is almost completely inhibited, and their shape-forming and physiological processes are suspended. But this does not mean that the life of mosquitoes has completely stopped. Processes in the body of an adult individual, its eggs or larvae continue to occur, but much more slowly.

How do insects behave in winter?

The activity of mosquitoes in cold weather is significantly reduced, since they do not have favorable conditions for this. Hibernation places can be part of curtains near the ceiling, spaces behind paintings, under carpets, in window frames or cracks. If an apartment or house has not been renovated for a long time, the likelihood of mosquitoes in the winter increases.

Physiological processes slow down during wintering, however, they can resume if the apartment is too hot. In this case, the bloodsuckers emerge from hibernation and begin to become active.

This type of insect is distinguished by its great ability to adapt to various conditions. This allows them not only to successfully survive in apartment buildings, but even to be active in the fall and winter.

What don't mosquitoes like? How to protect yourself from them?

Penetrating inside a person’s home, mosquitoes cause a lot of trouble. There are several effective ways to get rid of these annoying insects:

1. Mosquito nets on windows and doors . As a rule, window structures are already equipped with them, but they can also be purchased separately. However, this method does not guarantee 100% protection against mosquitoes.
2. Electric fumigants. By affecting insects, pesticide gases destroy them. To get rid of mosquitoes, just connect the device to the network.
3. Repellents. Available in the form of sprays, creams and lotions. The products are made on the basis of substances that repel blood-sucking insects. They are applied directly to the skin.

Natural remedies cope well with this task. Mosquitoes do not like the smell emitted by tomato plants. By planting tomato bushes on a windowsill or balcony, you can get rid of annoying insects.

Insects are also repelled by the scents of Persian chamomile, geranium, lavender, cloves and chrysanthemum. Mosquitoes cannot tolerate the smell of pine needles. You can scare away annoying insects by placing spruce or pine branches in the room, setting fire to needles or coniferous bark, or using essential oils of spruce, pine, eucalyptus, juniper and cypress.

Mosquitoes do not like tobacco smoke, so insects rarely fly towards smokers. Insects try to avoid plants with a pronounced aroma: basil, thyme, anise, lemongrass, wheatgrass, wormwood and bird cherry.

How to get rid of mosquitoes at home

Sometimes mosquitoes have a bad habit of entering houses, bothering people in every possible way. As a means of protection against mosquitoes, people have developed many means, among which special mosquito nets are very useful, preventing mosquitoes from entering the house through open windows.

Another effective remedy for mosquitoes can be special repellents, substances that emit odors that repel mosquitoes, although their disadvantage may be that the smells of repellents can have a bad effect not only on mosquitoes, but also on people.

A pot of geranium is quite suitable as a folk remedy for fighting mosquitoes, whose smell also repels these flying bloodsuckers.

Why are mosquitoes dangerous for humans?

Despite the fact that most people are accustomed to the proximity of these insects, in fact they pose a danger to humans. It's not just about the bites, but about the diseases that mosquitoes carry. The most dangerous species are those that are common in Africa, Asia and America. As an example, it is worth noting one of the most dangerous diseases - malaria. A specific species of mosquito transmits this disease to humans and is found in tropical forests.

Dangerous mosquitoes

Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others?

You've most likely noticed that some people are bitten by mosquitoes much more often. This is really not a coincidence. When choosing a victim, insects are guided by specific chemicals that are released along with sweat. Mosquitoes are attracted by the following factors:

• Doing physical activity. Here, mosquitoes pay attention to the increase in the amount of lactic acid in the body, so they actively react to people engaged in physical exercise.
• Specific blood type. Most often, mosquitoes fly to blood group 1, since it has a special smell that attracts mosquitoes.
• Alcohol. If a person has been drinking, the presence of alcohol in the blood attracts the insect.
• Large amounts of carbon dioxide. When exhaling, some groups of people release much more carbon dioxide from their lungs, which mosquitoes notice. Most often these are pregnant women, tall people, and overweight people.
• Dark shades in clothes.

Structure of a mosquito

A mosquito can be recognized by certain features of its body and structure:

• The insect has a thin body that reaches a width of 4 to 14 mm;
• Long legs;
• Transparent wings that can flap up to 5-30 mm;
• The color depends on the specific type of insect, but most often it is yellow, gray or brown. Sometimes green and black insects are found.

Structure of a mosquito

The structure of a mosquito's proboscis

The mosquito's elongated abdomen is divided into 10 segments, but the thoracic part is much wider than the body. There are claws at the end of the legs, and small scales can be seen on the wings themselves. You may also notice small spots in some dense areas.

You can also see special antennae on mosquitoes, which are segmented into 15 parts. The structure of the oral apparatus is the same in both females and males, but there are still some differences. In females, the proboscis is longer and sharper (it has piercing bristles).

You can see special antennae on mosquitoes

It is interesting that females are visually much larger than males, but their weight is very small - it reaches only 1 gram. If such an insect falls into the web of a spider, the latter will not even feel it.

The structural features of the oral apparatus distinguish mosquitoes from other representatives of the blood-sucking species. They have an upper and lower lip, and the elongated shape forms a special case where the jaws are located. Their teeth are small and sharp - more like files.

Nutrition

Mosquitoes are blood-sucking insects . But only mosquitoes drink the blood of animals and humans. And it is they who attack and annoy warm-blooded animals. Males are rather harmless creatures, and their vital activity is almost invisible to humans.

And they feed on nectar, absorbing it with their proboscis, which, unlike the proboscis of females, does not have a piercing apparatus capable of piercing flesh. They stay away from people and are not at all interested in their bodies. Everyone knows that a mosquito is a harmful insect . And not only because it spreads the infection.

Swarms of mosquitoes can suck up to a third of a liter of blood per day from the body of a warm-blooded animal. The main victim of mosquitoes is humans. But the insects themselves and their larvae are a tasty treat for many living creatures. These include dragonflies, frogs and toads, some types of beetles, spiders, chameleons and lizards, as well as salamanders and newts.

Fish and many species of waterfowl feed on the larvae of these parasites, thereby helping to kill insects. Mosquitoes , thanks to such natural reasons, really become significantly smaller.

Features of the insect

Mosquitoes are a large family of insects, which includes about 3.5 thousand species. They live all over the world, with the exception of Antarctica, that is, wherever people live whose blood is needed to reproduce.

Successful life of bloodsuckers is possible with a comfortable level of moisture and heat, which is why most of the genus are inhabitants of the tropics. If we talk about the temperate zone of climatic conditions, they prefer places near reservoirs, river valleys, shady forests and swamps. Photos of the appearance can be seen below.

If you are interested in the answer to the question of what mosquitoes eat near swamps and forests, then they consume liquid containing sugar - they get it from the sap of vegetation. But to be able to lay eggs, from which larvae and pupae emerge, female members of the family require the blood of a warm-blooded animal, in some cases, reptiles. Of course, they prefer human lymph.

How many times can the same mosquito bite?

There are no restrictions on the bites a mosquito can inflict. Usually, the female tries to draw as much blood as possible in one bite. The further process proceeds as follows:

• If something prevented the mosquito from getting the required amount of blood, then it flies away for a while, and then can return to the victim again;
• If the female is fed up, then she needs a period of time to completely digest the nutrients and lay eggs;
• After this, the female begins to hunt down the next victim.

Scientists have found that on average, such an insect can bite about 15 times in one day, and the female herself can make 2-3 such cycles, which include fertilization, collecting nutrients from the blood and laying eggs.

Meaning in human life

If we consider mosquitoes on a global level, they benefit all living things. They contribute to plant pollination, are carriers of beneficial microelements, and also serve as food for a large number of animals and fish. If mosquitoes disappear completely, it could negatively impact all wildlife. If we talk about people, then here they cause more harm: they cause itchy bites, and also increase the likelihood of contracting one of the dangerous diseases.

Why does a mosquito bite itch?

Itching in humans after a mosquito bite occurs due to the saliva secreted by the female. It contains a protein that causes an allergic reaction, and with it redness of the skin, swelling and itching.

Allergy to mosquito bite

There are cases when, after the first bite, a person does not feel such symptoms, because the body has not yet managed to recognize this protein. Scientists have also found that with a large number of bites, the body simply gets used to the substance, and the person stops noticing them. If a person has an increased level of sensitivity, a serious allergic reaction may develop.

Enemies of mosquitoes

Most mosquito larvae and adults do not survive the entire life cycle, since a large number of natural enemies of these insects are found in nature. At the same time, the danger for them remains regardless of the stage of residence. Most often they are food for the following species:

• Fish;
• Birds;
• Amphibians;
• Frogs;
• Lizards, etc.

The main enemy of mosquitoes

Due to such a number of enemies, mosquitoes actively reproduce, but most of their offspring quickly die. Due to this, it is possible to maintain the natural balance in the fauna.

Mosquito-borne diseases

If we consider the diseases that mosquitoes can carry, the list becomes quite long. Mosquitoes spread parasites, viruses and pathogenic bacteria. At the same time, the insects themselves do not suffer from the diseases they carry. Here is a brief list of the most dangerous diseases transmitted by mosquitoes:

• Malaria is a serious parasitic disease. Approximately 220 million people a year suffer from this disease;
• Infectious tularemia;
• In the eastern United States, eastern equine encephalitis can be contracted from insects;
• West Nile Virus is also common in the United States;
• Yellow fever and other viral diseases transmitted by the yellow fever mosquito;
• Filariasis;
• There is a small chance of HIV transmission.