The mosquito is a common flying insect that is found around the world. There are about 2,800 different species of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can fly about 1 to 1.5 miles per hour (1.6 – 2.4 km / hour). Mosquitoes is often a carrier of diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), West Nile encephalitis virus, dog heartworm, and many others. The females, who drink blood, can carry disease from one animal or human to another as they feed.
Malaria Mosquitoes Smell You Better at Night
In work published in Nature: Scientific Reports, a team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame's Eck Institute for Global Health, led by Associate Professor Giles Duffield and Assistant Professor Zain Syed of the Department of Biological Sciences, revealed that the major malaria vector in Africa, the Anopheles gambiae mosquito, is able to smell major human host odorants better at night. Olfactory protein abundance and olfactory sensitivity are high at night and low at daytime. It is well known that dengue mosquito is a day biter and malaria mosquito a night biter.
Mosquito Facts
- Only the females bite to obtain a blood meal and that the male feeds on plant juices.
- The biting is done by female mosquitoes with serrated plungers, which males do not have.
- Has adapted to living near humans even reducing the humming of her wings. Usually attacks from below - unlike other species that may fly into your face.
- Female mosquitoes may live as long as three weeks during the summer and many months in the winter
- All mosquitoes must have water in which they complete their life cycle.
- Mosquitoes can fly about 1 to 1.5 miles per hour (1.6-2.4 km/hour).
- There are about 2,800 different species of mosquitoes.
- Most mosquitoes remain within 1 mile of their breeding site. A few species may range up to 20 miles or more.
- There are over 150 described species of mosquitoes from North America. Several species have been accidentally introduced from other parts of the world.
- Presently, the cues used by mosquitoes to find their hosts are poorly understood. Carbon dioxide (CO2), heat, octenol and light have been shown to be attractants. Other compounds tested such as lactic acid also have proved to attract certain species of biting insects.
- To Humans and domestic animals, mosquitoes are a nuisance and a health hazard since mosquitoes can transmit a variety of diseases.
Endemic Diseases Transmitted By Vectors
- Yellow Fever (Africa, Central and South America)
- Nile Fever ( Europe, Africa, West Asia, Middle East, USA )
- Tuleramia (North America, Asia,)
- Lymphatic Filariasis (South America, Asia, Africa)
- Leishmaniasis (Africa, Central and South America, Asia, southern Europe)
- Congo’s hemorrhagic fever (Central Europe, Tropical and South Africa)
- Japanese Encephalitis (Asia)
- Lyme disease (Worldwide)
- Malaria (South America, Asia, Africa)
- Q Fever (Worldwide)
In 2013, an estimated 163 million cases of malarias occurred in the African region. This Caused appx. 528,000 deaths.
( WHO Source )
