Mosquito Trivia

1. Are all mosquitoes alike?

Mosquitoes have been around for 100 million years. In that time, they have diversified into 3,000 species that are very different from one another. Instincts program their life's behavior and are constantly refined by evolution. They have successfully adapted to climates from the arctic to the equator and developed means of locating indigenous blood hosts in each locale: some mosquitoes prefer frogs, others mammals, others birds. No product, including the Dragonfly System, Mosquito 'Cognito devices or Conceal candles, pesticides or repellents, can work equally well on every species of mosquito.

2. Why do mosquitoes bite?

Female mosquitoes need protein for the development of their eggs, and they get it from the blood of animal and human hosts. Male mosquitoes do not bite, nor do mosquitoes actually '"feed" on blood. The nectar of flowers actually provides sugar to power mosquitoes' flight muscles.

3. What diseases do mosquitoes spread?

Mosquitoes spread malaria, encephalitis, and dengue fever in people. They can also transmit parasites such as heartworm to pets. (Source: The American Mosquito Control Association.)

4. How do they find you?

Mosquitoes locate blood hosts by scent, sight and heat. From 100 feet (30 meters) mosquitoes can smell your scent, especially the carbon dioxide (CO₂) you exhale. They follow your scent upwind and can see you at a distance of about 30 feet (10 meters). When mosquitoes get within 10 feet, they can sense your body heat. The range of these receptors increases threefold when the humidity is high. They then look for places to bite where blood is close to the skin's surface.

5. Do they only bite people?

People and animals are not the primary target for mosquitoes, especially in temperate climates. The major mosquito pests in the southeastern U.S., for example, seem to prefer the host-odor of small herbivorous (vegetarian) mammals, or birds. Mosquitoes that carry encephalitis seem to prefer avian (bird) hosts. These mosquitoes bite people when they get the chance, but they are better at tracking the scent of animals that are most abundant in their habitat.

6. What causes mosquitoes to breed at certain locations?

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so eliminating standing water on your property reduces your risk. Areas like rain gutters, tree holes, old buckets or tires with stagnant water are breeding sites. Although you may take steps to clear your property, you are subject to the actions - or inaction - of your neighbors, not to mention wetland areas in your community.

1 "EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF 3% CITRONELLA CANDLES AND 5% CITRONELLA INCENSE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST FIELD POPULATIONS OF AEDES MOSQUITOES," L. ROBBIN LINDSAY, GORDON A SURGEONER, JAMES D. HEAL and G. JAMES GALLIVAN.

Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph. Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. Copyright © 1996 by the American Mosquito Control Association, Inc.