There’s no doubt that the buzzing sound that you hear from mosquitoes can be very annoying for most of us. More than that, mosquito bites can cause reddish bumps that appear soon after you have got bitten by them, which led to constant scratching because of the itchy sensation.
In Indonesia, mosquito-borne disease has served as a major health problem for years. This thing happens due to the tropical climate conditions in Indonesia which supports the breeding of many types of mosquitoes.
Apart from being known as aggressive bloodsuckers, this pesky insect is actually quite interesting enough for us to find out its other side. Let’s take a closer look at some facts you might not know about mosquitoes below!
Mosquito facts
Rentokil has compiled some of the most interesting facts about mosquitoes to expand your knowledge about them.
Here are 10 interesting facts you might not know about mosquitoes:
- The deadliest animal in the world
- Only female mosquitoes bite humans
- There are 3,000 species of mosquitoes around the world
- Mosquitoes are really old
- Mosquitoes can learn and remember what their hosts smell like
- All mosquitoes species must have water to complete their life cycle
- Have a short lifespan
- Don’t have teeth
- Mosquitoes are weak fliers
- Mosquitoes don’t travel far from their breeding spot
1. The deadliest animal in the world
Mosquitoes have been cited as the deadliest animal in the world, causing more human fatalities than sharks and snakes. These tiny insects kill more than 700,000 people every year and also major contributors to the global burden of infectious disease, including Dengue, Zika and Malaria.
2. Only female mosquitoes bite humans
Why do female mosquitoes need blood, and male mosquitoes don’t?
Generally, both male and female mosquitoes feed off nectar and other sweet things that are mainly obtained from plants. However, male mosquitoes exclusively feed on nectar for energy and survival, and they do not require protein to lay eggs.
While female mosquitoes need additional protein by feeding on human blood – at least two blood meals to lay their eggs. Human blood consists of proteins and amino acids, which are important for female mosquitoes to obtain to produce and develop their eggs.
Find more information about mosquito bites and symptoms here
3. There are 3,000 species of mosquitoes around the world
There are a lot of mosquito species in the world!
Mosquitoes almost can be found everywhere in human habitations in the tropics and subtropics of the world, except Antarctica.
According to the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), there are over 3,000 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world, and approximately 457 of them can be found across Indonesia and luckily some of them are known don’t even bite.
Some of the mosquito species that are known to be the primary vector of the disease in Indonesia, including:
Find out more about the mosquito species here
4. Mosquitoes are really old
Mosquitoes are as old as the Dinosaurs, with evidence of these biting insects dating back to the Triassic Period, which occurred between 251 million and 199 million years ago!
5. Mosquitoes can learn and remember what their hosts smell like
What you read above is true! A recent study in Biology journal published in 2018 revealed that mosquitoes’ brains consist of certain dopamine levels that teach them what to avoid and where to return.
The study proved that mosquitoes not only like the human smell but also have the ability to rapidly learn and remember odors emitted by their host.
Mosquitoes’ preference can easily shift if that person’s smell is associated with an unpleasant sensation. They will also tend to avoid any individuals who behave defensively or trying to swat toward them no matter how sweet they are.
6. All mosquitoes species must have water to complete their life cycle
Mosquitoes are an insect that goes through a complete metamorphosis, which includes both aquatic and terrestrial phases in four distinct stages, including eggs, larva, pupa and adult.
Although all types of mosquitoes need water to breed, yet each type of mosquito has a different breeding habitat.
- Aedes aegypti prefer to breed in clean or clear standing water sources
- In contrast to Aedes aegypti species, Anopheles mosquitoes lays its eggs in dirty or polluted waters and is not reliant on clean standing water
7. Have a short lifespan
Nobody really likes mosquitoes, but the good news is mosquitoes don’t live very long! Mosquitoes live anywhere from 10 to 56 days depending on several factors, including:
- The mosquito species
- Gender (female mosquito live longer than male mosquitoes)
- Weather and climate condition
- Natural predators
Although mosquito lifespan is quite short, they can complete the entire life lifecycle stages in a short period of time, approximately 8 – 10 days. Thus, don’t be surprised if female mosquitoes will be ready to look out for a blood meal really soon.
8. Don’t have teeth
Mosquitoes don’t have teeth to bite their hosts, but unfortunately, they have proboscis or sharp needle-like tubes to pierce our skin and suck the blood without us feeling it.
9. Mosquitoes are weak fliers
Many of the mosquito species only weigh about 2.5 milligrams and generally do not fly above 25 feet. This is the main reason why mosquitoes are considered as weak fliers in the flying pest category.
One of the best ways to keep mosquitoes away from you is by set-up the fan on high speed to make them not be able to land securely on you due to the wind that fan blows. Furthermore, the fan also reduces body heat and sweat, which become the sensory information for them to locate their prey.
10. Mosquitoes don’t travel far from their breeding spot
If you think mosquitoes travel a lot and far, then you’re wrong! Mosquitoes typically will not travel more than a mile from their breeding ground in search of food.
Thus, by quickly removing mosquito breeding grounds around your property, you can greatly reduce the number of mosquitoes population around you.
Mosquito control services
A mosquito can be quite fascinating to learn no matter how dangerous it can be for human life. There are measures you can take to protect your property from mosquitoes, but to enlist the help from professional pest control service is the most effective way to get rid of mosquitoes at your property.
If you have any concerns about mosquitoes in your home or business – then get in contact with the experts at Rentokil today!
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