Mosquitoes are amazing creatures, although they have a pretty bad reputation. In this article, we will look at some of the most amazing mosquito facts that you need to know to wow people around you.
1. There are 3,000 Species
While we often refer to mosquitoes as one species, there are three-thousand species of mosquitoes across the world. They can be found in nearly every location, inhabiting roughly the same lifestyle.
2. Only Female Mosquitoes Bite
While all mosquitoes are blamed for biting us, it is only the females who bite any vertebrates for blood. They use the blood to help them develop eggs that they will lay in standing water. Males tend to eat plant nectar.
3. Mosquitoes Grow Up Fast
The life cycle of mosquitoes is very fast. The female will lay approximately 100 eggs at a time and then these will develop into larvae that will transform into adults. The cycle from egg to adult can be as little as seven to ten days. Although it depends on the specific species, temperature, and more.
4. Mosquitoes Eat a Lot for their Size
A bite to a human will remove very little blood compared to our body size, but the amount that the female mosquito will take in a meal is enormous compared to their size. Some can drink the same amount as their entire body weight in one meal. Very few other animals can consume as much in a single sitting.
5. Mosquitoes are Selective Feeders
Mosquitoes aren’t very particular about who they feed off, in theory, but some things can attract a mosquito to a certain person. Numerous factors can include the body temperature of the individual, their odour, the amount of carbon dioxide they’re breathing, lactic acid on the skin, sweating, clothing colour, and more. Some research shows some people can repel mosquitoes naturally.
6. Mosquitoes can Detect a Potential Meal from 50 Metres Away
While small, mosquitoes can detect their next meal from 50 metres away. If that were a human, the human should be able to smell or see their meal from over five miles away, without the use of Google Maps!
7. A Full Moon Attracts Mosquitoes
When it comes to the time of the season when mosquitoes are more active, they seem to prefer a full moon. During this period, the activity of the small insect can increase by about 500%.
8. Mosquitoes Breed with Tiny Amounts of Water
Mosquitoes will lay their eggs in still or stagnant water. Or they can lay their eggs on wet soil. And they only need a small amount, as little as five millilitres of water. Therefore, those who are experiencing lots of mosquito bites should look for standing water near them, to ensure that there isn’t a hidden breeding area.
9. Mosquitoes See Colour
Colour is one of the attractants for mosquitoes with darker colours preferred by the female. They also like to hide in dark places to digest meals after feeding.
10. Mosquitoes Are The World’s Most Dangerous Animal
Technically speaking, humans are the world’s most dangerous animal, causing the extinction of more animals than any other species on the planet. However, if you’re not counting Homo Sapiens, then the next most dangerous animal is certainly the mosquito. This is because they can carry some of the deadliest diseases as they move from human to human. They can also spread diseases between species. And even after the mosquito, the next deadly creature is the hippo, which kills 20 times the number of sharks, crocodiles, lions, or tigers.
11. Mosquitoes Are Terrible Athletes
Mosquitoes are a pain for humans, but when compared to other insects, they’re not the best at speed or agility. They tend to fly at 1-1.5 miles per hour, which makes them one of the slowest insects in the world. In fact, you can easily outrun a mosquito if it were to chase you.
12. Mosquitoes Dance
Studies have shown that when male and female mosquitoes meet, they perform a dance to communicate with each other. This isn’t unusual among lots of species of insects either with others like the honey bee also dancing.
13. Mosquitoes Don’t Live Very Long
The lifespan of a mosquito isn’t very long. The mosquito will only live about two months, even including the larvae species. Though this can differ between species, with some of them living longer and others living a shorter period.
14. Mosquitoes Have Been Around for a Long Time
Mosquitoes are famous in films like Jurassic Park. In the franchise, it is because of mosquitoes that blood samples of dinosaurs were discovered that could help clone the dinosaurs. Of course, this couldn’t really happen, the oldest known mosquito was only 46 million years old, which means it missed the dinosaurs by about 20 million years, though there were other blood-sucking insects around at the time of the dinosaurs.
15. Mosquitoes Bite Numerous Animals
While we are focused on mosquitoes biting humans, humans aren’t the only target of this little insect. Numerous species prefer other species to feed off. And while mammals are often the target, some species would prefer to feed on frogs. And some can target birds too.
16. Hibernation
Mosquitoes are cold-blooded, and therefore, they can’t produce their body heat. So when the weather gets really cold, they have to adjust their behaviour to ensure their survival. One way they do this is they will hibernate throughout the colder months. They will seek a spot to survive and reduce their metabolism to survive.
Final Word: Amazing Facts About Mosquitoes
Above are 16 of the most amazing facts about mosquitoes that you can use to wow your friends and family. And some of them can be very reassuring that they aren’t the cold-blooded insect that other people assume they are.
