10 Interesting Facts About Mosquitoes
Nobody likes mosquitoes, but you have to admit that they’re a pretty fascinating insect when you learn about their history. While extremely annoying and deadly for humans, this critter has survived for millions of years and boasts some impressive feats.
1. There Are 3,500 Species of Mosquitoes
However, it’s only a few hundred that feast on blood and make our human lives hell during the summer months.
2. Female Mosquitoes Have Special Chemicals
If you’ve ever wondered why mosquitoes eat blood, it’s because the females need this to lay their eggs. In fact, it’s only the female mosquitoes that bite. Male mosquitoes will dine on plants in the environment. In fact, the blood doesn’t provide nutrients for mosquitoes at all – those come from plants they eat. The blood allows the eggs to mature inside the female before laying.
3. Females Can Lay Their Eggs Just About Anywhere
In shallow water, that is. Mosquito larvae are not unlike frogs in that they hatch in water and grow into adults on land. Female mosquitoes need to lay their eggs in shallow, still water, which is why you may have noticed more mosquitoes after very heavy rain. Extraordinarily, female mosquitoes can do with water as shallow as dampened earth from too much sprinkler use. That’s why it’s so important to keep an eye out for standing water. Even an upturned bottle cap could become a mosquito nursery.
4. Oil Of Lemon Eucalyptus Is A Natural Repellant
It comes from the plant leaves and is one of the only CDC approved chemicals for effectively repelling mosquitoes.
5. More People Have Been Killed By Mosquitoes Than Any Other Cause In Human History
Malaria-ridden mosquitoes infect 250 million people worldwide and kill over one million annually. And that’s not including other mosquito-borne illnesses like West Nile, Zika, or dengue fever.
6. Mosquitoes Can Travel Up To 3 Miles A Day
You may not think it from their tiny wings and erratic flying patterns, but these hungry bugs can fly up to three miles per diem.
7. Mosquitos Have A Preference For Beer Drinkers
According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, people who consumed beer were more likely to have mosquitoes land on them. So if you enjoy drinking beer outside on the patio during the summer, make sure to wear insect repellant, use citronella torches, or get a professional mosquito fog application performed on your property.
8. Mosquitoes Have Been Around Since Dinosaurs
The earliest mosquito fossils discovered put their age at between 120 and 210 million years old. That’s quite an impressive survival rate for such a small creature.
9. Female Mosquitoes Can Hold Their Drinks
Female mosquitoes can consume (or 0.000005) of a liter of blood. While this may not seem impressive initially, this is about two to three times her body weight. Imagine trying to perform this feat as a human!
10. Texas Has The Greatest Number Of Mosquito Species
They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and this includes the number of mosquitoes. At 85 species, the Lone Star State has more of these pests than any other in the union.
Get Professional Mosquito Control From Buzz Off Mosquito Solutions
You might not have control over biting insects in parks and other recreational areas but you do have control in your own yard. Before mosquitos start giving you and your family problems, call the experts at Buzz Off Mosquito Control Solutions. We have a variety of pest control services including mosquito, fly, and flea & tick control services. We offer our mosquito control service to both residential and commercial customers.
Give us a call at (715) 281-3289 or send us a short message here. Don’t forget to follow our monthly blog for the best mosquito control tips in Wisconsin.
