Malevus

Tag: mosquito

  • Ticks and flies: How do bloodsuckers bite and spread diseases?

    Ticks and flies: How do bloodsuckers bite and spread diseases?

  • Where Do Mosquitoes Go in the Winter?

    Where Do Mosquitoes Go in the Winter?

    In the evening, with pleasant weather, it doesn’t take long until you find yourself relaxing on the patio, taking in the sun, or enjoying a BBQ. But then, you are startled by a painful sensation on your arm, which is immediately followed by severe itching. The blood was drawn out by the lengthy proboscis of a mosquito that just bit you. Throughout the spring, summer, and autumn, it is almost impossible to get rid of mosquitoes, even with the use of pricey mosquito repellents. But, during the winter, you never see or hear anything about them. Where do mosquitoes go in the winter? And what do they do at this time of year?

    Unlucky Males

    The mosquito, like other insects, is a cold-blooded species. They have no control over their body temperature, which is always the same as their environment. The optimal temperature for mosquitoes is around 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25ºC), and at 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15ºC) the insects slow down, and anything below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10ºC) makes them almost dead.

    The thing is, the male mosquitoes can’t survive the winter. In fact, they already die away by fall. Males do not feed on blood, and their proboscis is not powerful enough to puncture your skin and bite you.

    They consume nothing other than nectar and the fluids of plants. Blood is one of the several nutrients that only females are required to provide for their kids. It is specifically these female mosquitoes that are able to endure the dip in temperature during the winter.

    Mosquitoes Craft Their Own Anti-Freeze

    Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae.
    Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae.

    The female mosquitoes may find the best chance to survive throughout the winter months in locations like basements, caverns, cow barns, and buildings since these areas are cool, wet, and sheltered. There, the insects enter a state of inactivity, also known as torpor, caused by the dropping temperatures.

    For the mosquitoes to be prepared for this, during evolution, they have created an odd adaptation mechanism: they begin by eliminating a fluid from their bodies via excretion. After that, sugar is added to this liquid which together acts like an antifreeze covering the mosquito’s body. The females emerge from their torpor when the weather begins to warm up again in the spring and start laying their eggs.

    Mosquito Eggs Survive in the Mud

    The frost very rarely kills adult female mosquitoes or their egg clutches that have already been laid in water bodies such as lakes, ponds, or rain barrels in the autumn. As long as the mud does not freeze, the mosquito eggs survive the winter in the mud on the bottom of a body of water without any issues.

    The conditions throughout the spring and summer are what ultimately determine whether or not there will be a mosquito infestation. For instance, prolonged periods of rainfall provide the larvae with optimal breeding grounds. If warm temperatures are coupled with this, the conditions become ideal for a mosquito invasion.

    However, it is possible to be bitten by a mosquito even during the wintertime. Because if a mosquito is able to find its way into a heated home, then that is where it will continue to live for a while. Yet, there is a good chance that it will die over the winter season while in there.

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  • Are Mosquitos a Threat in the Near Future?

    Are Mosquitos a Threat in the Near Future?

    In many different countries, mosquito infestations occur at various times of the year. The ones that occur throughout the summer originate from the ideal breeding conditions, which end with an explosion in the mosquito population. The itching and discomfort caused by mosquito bites are indisputable. When you scratch the bite, you irritate the surrounding tissue, which leads to the development of a red, raised lump on the skin. If you are bitten by a mosquito, does it mean that you are also at risk of contracting a disease?

    The Rise in Animal Transmitted Diseases

    The incidence of diseases transmitted by animals is growing at an alarming rate around the world, especially in the Far East. In the past, residents of Central Europe have been diagnosed with malaria despite having never left the area where they live. But veterinarians and other specialists believe that there is currently no cause for concern in this region for mosquito infection.

    Researchers discovered a few cases of virus transmission in the previous year, despite the unusual nature of the transmission. The Sindbis virus is a mildly dangerous virus that can occasionally result in meningitis. It is carried by the common Culex pipiens mosquito.

    However, the population of the Asian bush mosquito, also known as Aedes japonicus, is increasing at an alarming rate, especially across Central Europe. Throughout the past few years, areas that encompass a land area of approximately 2,000 square kilometers have been plagued by an extremely active vector of diseases such as the West Nile virus. It wasn’t until the year 2012 that researchers were able to prove that a breeding population of this particular species of mosquito had indeed been established in Europe.

    The Asian tiger mosquito, scientifically known as Stegomyia albopicta, has already established a breeding population in the area. The bloodsucker known to carry exotic diseases has been linked to the transmission of viruses, including West Nile and tropical dengue fever. In recent years, the mosquitoes that are responsible for transmitting the dengue and chikungunya viruses to people have been discovered in southern Europe.

    Dog Tapeworm Is Carried by Mosquitoes

    The larvae of the canine tapeworm, Dirofilaria repens, were found for the first time in Europe. This part of the world did not have any previous encounters with the parasite until very recently. Although mosquitoes are the most likely vector for transmission of these parasitic worms to humans, dogs continue to be the most common hosts for them. As of yet, there have been no reports of human illnesses acquired in the area.

    Researchers have detected larvae of the dog skin worm Dirofilaria repens in mosquitoes for the first time in Central Europe. The parasite was previously not native to the land. Parasitic worms are found in dogs, but in rare cases, mosquitoes also transmit the infection to humans. So far, however, no human infections acquired in the area.

    So, people are still relatively safe for the time being. However, if global temperatures continue to rise this may change in the future.

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