Aren’t mosquitos among the most ubiquitous and annoying pests on the planet?
Haven’t you felt that once?
They have a persistent buzzing and give us itchy bites. Almost everyone on the planet is familiar with their nuisance. But have you ever wondered why only the female mosquitoes bite?
Let us find out.
Table of Contents
Mosquito reproduction 101
Before we understand why only female mosquitoes bite, let us first explore the biology of mosquito reproduction. Just like many other insects, mosquitoes go through a complete change as they grow up. They start as tiny eggs, then turn into little swimming creatures called larva. After that, they become pupae. In this state, they are kind of like mosquito cocoons. The mosquito babies spend most of their time as larvae and pupae in still water. That is why you might see them in puddles or stagnant water. Finally, they emerge as adult mosquitos. At this point, they are ready to fly and bite.
Mating and blood meal
Once a female mosquito becomes an adult, she needs special food to lay eggs.
What is this food?
It is our blood!
The protein and iron in our blood help her eggs grow strong and healthy. Different mosquito species have different preferences for whom they bite. Some prefer birds over humans, but they are not picky eaters. If their favorite food source is not around, they will happily bite you or any other animal they can find.
Once a female mosquito gets her blood meal, she lays eggs. Then, she goes out looking for another blood meal to make even more eggs. But she does not have to find another mate this time. Female Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes’ Blood Feeding Preference paper provides an experimental analysis of the female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes’ blood-feeding preference for human blood group types and its impact on their fecundity.
The quest for a blood meal
Mosquito life is all about reproduction! Male mosquitos are ready to mate right after they become adults. However, female mosquitoes need to find a host to get a blood meal. As mentioned above, this host could be humans, mammals, birds, reptiles, or even amphibians.
Locating a host and blood-feeding process
Female mosquitoes use their sight, smell, and heat to find a host. Once they find you, their straw-like mouthpart (proboscis) pierces your skin to reach your blood vessels. This is the annoying part. When a mosquito bites you, it injects some special spit. It keeps your blood from clotting so they can drink more easily. Remember that itchy bump you get after a bite? This spit is what causes it.
Resting, digesting, and egg development
Once a female mosquito has a full belly of blood, she finds a place to rest and digest her meal. This process can take a few days, depending on the type of mosquito and how much blood she drank. After that, she uses the protein and nutrients from the blood to develop her eggs. Finally, she lays her eggs in still water, and the cycle starts again.
Why do female mosquitoes bite?
Mosquitoes are like a team. The male and female mosquitos have different jobs. Over a million years ago, mosquitoes evolved this way to ensure their species survived.
Male mosquitoes and mating
The male mosquito’s job is to mate and pass on its genes. He finds a female and uses his proboscis to inject sperm into her. Males do not lay eggs, so they do not need blood. Instead, they drink nectar and plant juices.
Female mosquitoes and offspring Production
The female mosquito, on the other hand, has a much bigger job. They are in charge of making baby mosquitoes. To do this, she needs protein and other nutrients. That’s why she takes humans and animals. Blood has everything a mosquito mom needs to make strong, healthy eggs. So, female mosquitoes use their mouthparts to pierce our skin and suck up a little blood for their eggs. An experimental analysis of female mosquitoes provides information on why only female mosquitoes bite animals and humans, and it explains the role of animal blood in the development of mosquito eggs.
The impact on humans and other hosts
Mosquito bites are not just itchy. They can actually spread diseases. They can carry many dangerous diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus, and several types of encephalitis. If they bite an animal already sick, they can pick up those germs in their blood. Then, when they bite you, they can pass those germs on, too!
Combatting the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses
So, how do we fight back against these disease-carrying mosquitoes? There are a few things we can do.
- Get rid of places where mosquitoes like to breed (stagnant water like puddles or old tires).
- Use bug spray or wear long sleeves and pants when you’re outside.
Scientists are also working on even better ways to fight mosquitoes. They are looking at genetically modified mosquitoes that cannot spread diseases or new types of efficient bug sprays. Observation of the distribution of mosquito bites on humans to inform paper provides information on the distribution of mosquito bites on humans.
Conclusion
Mosquitoes’ lives are all about reproduction and survival. Male and female mosquitoes have different jobs to do this. Only female mosquitoes bite because they need the blood to make eggs. Our and other animals’ blood has protein and other important nutrients for them. These nutrients help the female mosquito develop lots of healthy eggs. It might be annoying to get bitten, but it is a very important part of mosquitoes’ life cycle. Female mosquitoes need our blood to become mosquito moms. Mosquitoes have been able to survive for millions of years this way.