Mosquito Facts

http://www.hww.ca/en/wildlife/invertebrates/mosquito.html

by 4daboys

HERE ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT MOSQUITOES

I have chosen the ones I found most interesting on the following Web Pages:

FACT ONE:  Only female mosquitoes suck blood!

  • Female skeeters pierce the skin with their mouth called a proboscis which is a straw-like tube
  • Proboscis covers six thin needles (called stylets) 
  • Six needle-like mouthparts to saw into our skin, tap a blood vessel and sometimes leave a dangerous parting gift.
  • The mosquito uses the needles to cut the skin, find a blood vessel and suck out the blood.
  •  She releases saliva that causes bumpy and itchy skin
  • The saliva keeps the blood flowing
  • Females have to drink blood to produce their eggs.
  • To see the needles in action watch

    How Mosquitoes Use Six Needles to Suck Your Blood

    (https://www.pbs.org/video/deep-look-mosquitoes/)

FACTS ON CANADIAN MOSQUITOES   from Hinterland Who’s Who
(http://www.hww.ca/en/wildlife/invertebrates/mosquito.html)

FACT TWO: There are about 82 species of mosquitoes in Canada and over 2,500-3,500 species throughout the world.


FACT THREE: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the present known mosquito-borne viruses in Canada are West Nile and St. Louis Encephalitis.

5 surprising facts about mosquitoes  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/five-surprising-facts-mosquitoes-1.4727152

FACT FOUR:  Lifespan of a mosquito is 1-4 weeks long. Females rest after laying eggs and then repeat the cycle.

FACT FIVE: Look at the differences between male and female!

female is largermale is smaller

How do you differentiate a female mosquito from a male mosquito?

https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-differentiate-a-female-mosquito-from-a-male-mosquito

Mosquito
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mosquito

WHICH GENDER OF MOSQUITO BUZZES?
https://animals.mom.me/gender-mosquito-buzzes-10218.html

The Mating Dance

  •  mosquitoes buzz using their wings,
  • have a very good reason for buzzing the way they do
  •  mosquitoes will harmonize with one another,
  • try to find a mutually pleasing tone
  • if two members of the same sex, or two members of different species, try to harmonize, they will fail
  • they only mate when they harmonize