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June 12, 2005

The Buzz of Mosquitoes

I've been talking a bit about malaria lately, so I thought I'd share some new information I recently read about mosquitoes, the primary method of transmission of malaria. We've got a vote going on this month regarding mosquitoes and disease control in our county in California. The pamplet had some interesting facts about mosquitoes that I thought were rather interesting:

Why do they buzz?
Mosquitos have a wing speed of more than 1,000 beats per second, causing the buzzing sound.

How many baby mosquitoes do they have?
One female can lay up to 600 eggs in her lifetime.

How long do they live?
Female mosquitoes live about 14 days, but males only live about 7 days.

Where do mosquitoes breed?
Mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant standing water. Eliminate the standing water sources, and you eliminate the mosquitoes.

How many mosquitoes are produced from a bucket of water?
A small household bucket of standing water can produce thousands of mosquitoes a day.

Do all mosquitoes suck blood?
Nope, just the females. Males feed on plants.

Why do mosquito bites itch?
Mosquitoes inject chemicals that prevent blood clotting so they can suck away. These chemicals irritate the skin, causing itching.

How is disease passed through mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes can infect animals and people when they bite and such blood.

Posted by sorsha at June 12, 2005 12:31 PM