Deadly vectors
Mosquitoes are both annoying and dangerous. When you are outdoors and mosquitoes are just all over you, it could really be irritating. But more than the irritation, people, generally, don’t like mosquitoes because of the harm that they carry with them.
Mosquitoes are carriers or vectors of some of the deadliest illnesses in the world such as dengue, malaria and the zika. These three were declared by the World Health Organization to be a global emergency.
According to Pest Strategies both male and female mosquitoes feed on nectar, but the female mosquito sucks blood as she needs it for the development of her eggs.
Most female mosquitoes feed at dawn, dusk and night. It is during these feeding times that they unleash their harmful viruses; therefore, it is best to avoid being exposed to mosquitoes during these hours of the day.
Why do mosquitoes come inside the house? Mosquitoes are attracted to dark, warm and moist places. They are also attracted to carbon dioxide, and they use this as guide to find their blood meal. People emit carbon dioxide making them easy prey for mosquitoes.
Why are mosquito bites itchy? Mosquitoes can pick up our scent from 100 feet away, and could feel our body heat.
How long do mosquitoes live after they bite? Given the right circumstances, a female mosquito could live for several weeks. Thus, if you were unable to get rid of mosquitoes at home, a female mosquito could bite you over and over for several weeks, before she dies. A female mosquito can lay at least 300 eggs before she dies.
Do only female mosquitoes buzz? The buzzing sound is caused by the flapping of wings. Both male and female flap wings, but we do not normally hear the flapping wings of the male because they don’t bite.
But like all in this earth, mosquitoes and other bugs are here for a purpose. They help balance the ecosystem. Mosquitoes are food to other animals such as frogs, dragonflies, bats and birds. And they are not easy to be extinct. Therefore, the best thing to do is to arm yourself and your homes with mosquito repellants. Clean and make sure that water containers are covered all the time to prevent breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Certain plants are good mosquito repellants like lavender, citronella grass, marigold, catnip, basil, and scented geraniums.