Do mosquitoes have teeth?
The answer to the question of whether a mosquito has teeth can be answered yes and no. These are modified teeth, since mosquitoes do not need real ones.
The question of the presence of teeth in mosquitoes stimulates interest and debate among specialists. Some entomologists claim that they have teeth, but they are used by mosquitoes for other purposes and are not as strong as those of fish, animals or humans. Another part of the experts claim that there are no teeth of any kind. Mosquitoes may not need to chew because they feed on liquid substances. The presence, structure and functions of the so-called teeth should be studied from the point of view of the anatomy of the mosquito's oral apparatus.
Teeth or not
Some entomologists argue that mosquitoes lack teeth because they feed on liquids. With the help of the proboscis, the insect not only pierces the skin, but also receives nutrition. The male's oral structure is simpler and anatomically different from the female's feeding apparatus.
Female mosquitoes have approximately 50 chitinous hairs located on the upper and lower jaws. The bristles form the end of the proboscis. With their help, the mosquito seems to gnaw through the skin. The assumption that mosquitoes do not have teeth arose from the fact that they are very tiny and practically invisible.
A mosquito has 4 mandibles in its mouth, which can be called peculiar jaws. They serve to pierce the skin, and the proboscis is necessary to expand the edges of the bite. In the generally accepted concept, a mosquito has no teeth, and bristles serve the same needs.
Interesting fact! To ensure proper nutrition, the mosquito injects a specific substance into the wound during the bite to thin the blood. The insect secretion is a fairly strong allergen, which, when it enters the victim’s body, causes itching and redness. In some cases, a more severe allergic response may develop.
The structure of immature mosquitoes
From the eggs laid by the female on the surface of the water, larvae hatch, which intensively feed and grow before pupation.
After leaving the egg and before the stage of maturation, the larva increases in volume by more than five hundred times, and in length by more than eight times.
Increased growth leads to the fact that the larvae undergo periodic molting, that is, they shed their old outer covers and form new, larger ones. During maturation, the larva goes through four larval instars.
Only hatched larvae are about 1 mm in length, after the fourth molt - 8-10 mm. In addition to an increase in size, at each stage there is a complication of the internal organization. After the completion of the fourth stage, the pupa appears.
At this stage, some internal organs are rebuilt, which leads to the formation of adult mosquito organs. The completion of the development of an adult mosquito occurs with the release of the insect from the pupal skin.
Anatomy of the oral apparatus
The miniature piercing-sucking apparatus of a mosquito can be studied in detail only under a powerful microscope. It consists of lips and jaws. Two underdeveloped lips have an elongated shape and form a groove in which there are 5 sharp needles.
The proboscis for sucking blood is located between the piercing stilettos. Modified teeth are located on a pair of needles. On the sides of the proboscis there are 4 mandibles, designed for biting the skin. With its needles, the mosquito holds the skin edges of the wound and inserts its proboscis.
In the photo you can see the structure of a mosquito's mouth. Males do not need strong jaws because they use nectar and plant juices as food.
To protect against mosquito bites, it is recommended to use modern means. For example, water-based DEET mosquito repellent aerosol, which lasts for 8 hours, providing ultra protection without leaving stains on clothes.
How long does the reaction to mosquito bites last?
The bumps on the body are an allergic reaction to the insect's saliva. Reactions may vary from person to person and usually last no more than 24 hours. Try a topical anti-itch cream or an anti-histamine such as Benadryl.
Their step on the victim is so smooth that it is undetectable. They have the rare ability to walk on water. This type of water beetle is known to exist. In temperate zones, adult females overwinter in various sheltered areas, and when winter passes, they begin to feed on blood, and another generation of mosquitoes is on the way.
Mosquito larvae are aquatic and water from garbage cans, old stoves, barrels, wash basins, damp basements, bathrooms, kitchens, balconies is enough to support their development and controlling the mosquito population in an area can be a challenging task. Because the larvae breathe oxygen from the air, they are not affected by water quality.
Why don't mosquitoes bite everyone?
Scientists aren't sure what makes some people more attractive to mosquitoes. They know that they are attracted to large amounts of carbon dioxide and heat. They also prefer the smell of cholesterol, folic acid, bacteria from drying sweat, and the odors of many perfumes, colognes and shampoos.
A beach in Massachusetts ruled last week. The pilots discovered something. Rescue swimmers urged guests to leave the beach. There should be no panic without explanation. The beach was closed because one was spotted in shallow water. The predator swam at a distance for two hours until it switched off and disappeared into deeper water.
Spiders - people are afraid of such animals. Before claws and teeth combined with silence, aggression, speed and deadly poison. But the list of animals most impacted by humans each year doesn't result in big predators. The best killers are tiny animals. Every year, millions of mosquitoes cost lives. Tens of thousands die from fly bites or bed bugs, or die through diseases transmitted by freshwater snails.
How mosquitoes appear
This is the oldest group of blood-sucking insects. There are more than 80,000 species of them in the world. Their most favorite habitat is warmth and humidity. Where do mosquitoes come from and where do they live?
The birth of a mosquito
It is known for certain where mosquitoes come from. In the summer and autumn seasons, the female’s activity in laying eggs is activated.
Laying eggs, larvae
Wet and warm places where the mosquito larva is located are a habitat beneficial for its full development. The place for laying eggs can be a pond, a puddle, a ditch, or even a barrel of water.
After laying, the larvae descend to the bottom of a river or puddle. And after a few weeks, they become pupae.
Mosquito in larval stage
Her head and chest are fused, and are crowned with horns with breathing holes at the ends. The surface of the pupa is transparent, through which the body parts of the future adult are visible.
To perform respiratory activity, the pupa rises to the surface of the water, alternately straightening and bending its abdomen.
When all parts of the body and organs are formed, the pupa finally floats to the surface and bursts. An adult mosquito emerges through the external gap.
Life cycle of a mosquito
The duration of egg maturation depends on the temperature of the reservoir. This usually happens within 8 days. After which the larva appears. In this state, she goes through the molting process 4 times and turns into a pupa.
Thus, the life cycle of mosquitoes occurs in four stages.
As a result of complex processes occurring inside the pupa, from two to four and a half days, an adult individual appears - the imago.
Where do mosquitoes appear?
Mosquitoes have existed on the planet for about two hundred years. There are more than eighty thousand species. Among other types of insects, they rank first. What mosquitoes live in different regions of the world?
- The common mosquito is considered one of the most numerous species of this insect family. It may appear all over the world. The life of a squeak lasts from 42 to 56 days for a female, and about 10 days for a male. The flight speed of a mosquito can reach 2.5 km/hour. Many people are interested in what floor they fly to. There is evidence that up to the 20th floor.
- The tropical mosquito is a mosquito that spreads tropical fever, which claims hundreds of lives every year. These are very poisonous insects. It attacks its prey in the dark. He bites in places not covered with hair - ears, nostrils, folds of skin. Mosquito bites are experienced differently by different people. Some people develop tumors, while others have no special reactions. Deaths are more common among children. In Suriname, the death penalty is practiced, when a bloody killer flies out at the condemned in whole hordes. When they begin to suck blood, the victim begins to suffocate and dies within three to four hours in agony.
- The Asian tiger mosquito is a likely carrier of the genetic and viral diseases chikugunya, yellow fever, dengue, and encephalitis, which cause severe fever. The Asian tiger mosquito is a very aggressive insect, active both during the day and at night. The insect appeared in tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia. Recently they have begun to appear in France. Asian tiger mosquitoes are highly mobile insects. They travel by transport. They got their name because of their characteristic color. The body and paws are black and white striped or spotted.
- The yellow fever mosquito is a biting mosquito that transmits Zika, dengue and other viruses. Initially, its habitat was Africa. It can now be found in tropical and subtropical regions. It can be recognized by white spots on the legs and front of the back.
Population Reproduction
The female mosquito is the successor of the family and is responsible for bearing and hatching the eggs. Male mosquitoes are only responsible for fertilizing the female.
Life cycle
The mosquito can hatch up to one hundred and fifty eggs in one go. In a week, they hatch into larvae, which go through four stages of development in a month and transform into a pupa, from which an adult insect is formed after five days.
An interesting fact is that insects are ready to mate immediately after emerging from the pupae. Males choose more mature females for fertilization.
Lifespan
How long does a mosquito live? Often, the lifespan of a mosquito depends on its living conditions. The answer to this question will always be different.
How long do mosquitoes live in an apartment? Until they are destroyed using special means or a firecracker.
The lifespan of a mosquito in nature is much longer. Biological studies reliably show how many days a mosquito lives. The air temperature indicator tends to fluctuate, but the life expectancy of an insect depends on its value:
- at + 25°C it lives from 30 to 40 days;
- at + 20°C – up to 60 days;
- at + 15°C – up to 115 days;
- at + 10°C - up to 120 days.
How do mosquitoes spend the winter? After all, for example, hatched individuals in October experience cold weather due to their lifespan.
In winter, mosquitoes can take root in people's apartments and warm basements. Where do they winter in natural conditions? Rotten stumps, remnants of vegetation - leaves, moss, various burrows and crevices where they hide help them survive the winter. They are, one might say, hibernating. Physiological processes in the body of a fertilized female slow down, and she lays eggs as the weather warms up. And with the onset of cold weather, males die for lack of a food source - nectar.
Nutrition
Well-fed female mosquito
What do mosquitoes eat? The larvae have the opportunity to feed on particles of vegetation and microorganisms found in the water of the reservoir, which they pass through themselves. Adults survive on flower nectar. Then the question arises: why do mosquitoes drink the blood of humans and animals?
To bear and lay eggs, the female needs a lot of strength; nectar does not provide her with the necessary nutrients, while blood contributes to her complete saturation. This is why mosquitoes drink blood.
It should be noted that males do not bite, only females are voracious and in the moments after fertilization. The female mosquito sucks blood in order to gain strength and survive so that the population can continue to continue. If there is no source of blood nearby, then she dies after laying eggs, and her offspring are weak.
At one time, a mosquito can suck blood twice its weight, because the stretching abdomen is adapted to increase its size.
An integral link in evolution
Why are annoying mosquitoes needed in nature? What function do they perform? These insects are a source of food for other beetles - dragonflies, swimming beetles, water striders, ticks, spiders, and water bugs. Since they breed in the vicinity of reservoirs, crustaceans, frogs, salamanders, various species of reptiles, and fish like to eat their larvae and adults. Mosquitoes are a source of food for river and sea birds that can stay on the water surface - gulls, terns, wild ducks and geese, phalaropes.
It’s easy to guess what will happen if mosquitoes disappear. The main source of food will disappear from the usual chain of evolutionary development of all the above-listed individuals, which will entail a significant reduction in their number. The disappearance of one link leads to the disappearance of others... So it is necessary to “find a common language” with mosquitoes in order to maintain the natural balance on Planet Earth.
How many times does a mosquito bite
The female will continue to drink blood until her belly is full. If it breaks before it is full, it will fly to the next person. After feeding, the mosquito rests for two or three days before laying eggs, then is ready to bite again.
Mosquito eggs are very resistant to drought and cold, able to resist for up to five years on cold and dry soil until the next warm rain, and after a week the larvae emerge from the eggs. Once bird feeders, they now enjoy a menu of rats, mice and human blood. They do not interbreed with their aboveground counterparts.
Central Asia's so-called mosquito coast is not named after the insect, but after the indigenous Miskito Indians. Two hundred children fall under it. Mosquito traps can also provide protection. They secrete mosquito attractants such as carbon dioxide, heat, humidity and others that capture or destroy the mosquitoes. When they are located in good breeding areas, they can bring down mosquito populations.
Who's the biggest?
The largest mosquito in the world is the Karamor. This is a real giant, which is the largest representative of its family. It lives in a temperate or humid climate, preferring forests and other tree plantations, near which there must be swamps or other bodies of water.
Karamora larvae are a real scourge of agriculture. Baby giants eat living plants and are therefore capable of destroying even large plantations. But adult individuals feed on nectar, and in some cases they can go without food for a long time.
The size of the caramor is impressive - its length can reach 6-10 cm! But at the same time, the main part of the body consists of long legs, and the body itself is quite small. This giant can be frightening when encountered, but it poses no danger to humans.
Nutrition - who bites, why, whom and why
And who bites, a male mosquito or a female? Only females give us discomfort, regardless of what species they belong to. And they don’t care at all who they bite – a person or an animal. The main thing is that blood flows in the victim’s veins.
However, there are surprising features here too. Being notorious vampires, female mosquitoes are capable of becoming “vegetarians” for a while.
What do mosquitoes eat besides blood? They exchange their protein menu for a carbohydrate one and feed on flower nectar, plant sap and pollen. By the way, for males this diet is lifelong and they feel great. But for females such food is not the most suitable, since during the period of vegetarianism they lose the ability to lay eggs.
Having considered the features of the diet, it becomes clear why mosquitoes drink blood. The answer here is obvious - to live and be continuers of the family. Therefore, the cyclicity of egg laying will depend on the possibility of blood consumption. One mosquito clutch contains from 30 to 150 eggs, and the female produces offspring every two to three days!
Choice of victim
Why don't mosquitoes bite everyone? After all, it is known that these insects choose a victim for themselves, but on what basis? There are several assumptions.
Blood group - these bloodsuckers are interested in the protein contained in the blood of a certain group, namely the first. Next in popularity are carriers of the third group, but the second is not so attractive for them. The smell of carbon dioxide that a person exhales is attractive to the bloodsucker. And the more carbon dioxide the victim produces and the more often the victim breathes, the more likely the bloodsucker is to attack. And a mosquito senses it at a distance of 50 m! Metabolism plays an important role in choosing a tasty morsel. The faster metabolic processes occur, the higher the temperature of the blood and the more intense the smell of uric and lactic acids, as well as ammonia and sweat, which are especially attractive to small bloodsuckers. Bacteria on the human body can also attract insects. At the same time, bloodsuckers will bite only in those areas where there are especially many of these bacteria concentrated, and places where they are completely absent are absolutely not attractive to bloodsuckers. The smell of alcohol can turn a person into an attractive object for this parasite
Ethanol not only attracts mosquitoes, but also increases body temperature and increases sweating, which, as we found out earlier, also attracts insects. Women during pregnancy are also at risk and, according to research, deserve the attention of blood-sucking insects twice as often. This is due to the fact that their body temperature is higher and they exhale 21% more carbon dioxide.
Mosquito "singing"
There is no need to remind you once again what sound a mosquito makes. Of course, when they fly, a nasty, annoying squeak reaches a person’s ears. Where is it coming from? From the mouth of an insect? Not at all! It is the high frequency of oscillations of the mosquito’s wings that is the very instrument that contributes to the production of a squeak, which subsides at those moments when the insect simply sits on the “victim” or rests on other objects in its habitat, with its wings folded.
It often seems that there is a whole swarm of insects in the room instead of one or two, the squeak is so loud that it can cause insomnia in people.
How long does a mosquito live?
Males live from five to seven days, females can live from two weeks to a month, in ideal conditions. However, the females of some species go to sleep in the winter, so they can live for several months.
A radio station from Poland used an odd method to control mosquitoes. Radio Zet emitted a continuous ultrasonic signal that, even if not heard by human ears, mimicked the sonar of a bat and could be heard by mosquitoes. This kept any mosquito listener away from this radio channel.
Some plants with a prickly scent can repel mosquitoes, like garlic. The Mohs hardness scale gives different degrees of hardness to objects, for example, hardness 1 is talc, which can be cleaned with a fingernail, hardness 10 is the hardest natural mineral, it can only be scratched by another diamond. Mouse teeth have a value of 9.6! The Mohs hardness scale assigns different degrees of hardness to objects.
What about in winter?
Mosquitoes are most active in the summer, especially if it is humid. In autumn, their numbers become noticeably smaller, and by winter they completely disappear from sight. Where do mosquitoes winter and how do they survive this time of year?
In fact, there is no need to worry about little bloodsuckers, since they are able to winter peacefully, and at every stage of their development. Both eggs, pupae, larvae, and adults retain their full viability in the cold months. They build their nests in secluded places where frost and chilly winds will not penetrate. Such places are:
- tree hollows;
- cavities under the bark;
- animal burrows;
- dry caked grass;
- cracks in houses;
- places under stones.
And if you’re lucky, mosquitoes can settle in special conditions in winter. These include places created by man, for example, basements, cellars, vegetable stores, outbuildings and, in fact, apartments and private houses. In the latter case, insects do not even disturb their usual diet, continuing to feed on the blood of people and animals.
On a note! Some tropical species are able to survive the winter under the ice, and with the arrival of the warm season they “thaw” and rise into the air in a multimillion-dollar blood-sucking cloud. For this reason, spring and summer are especially difficult times of the year for the inhabitants of the tundra!
In temperate and northern climates, little vampires endure the winter in a state of diapause or, in other words, hibernate. At this time, insects do not develop or reproduce, all physiological processes decrease, as does the level of metabolism, and morphogenesis processes are suspended.
At what altitude do mosquitoes fly, to what floor do they reach?
Sometimes it seems that these squeaking bloodsuckers are simply ubiquitous. Despite the small size of its body, this insect is capable of rising quite high in the air and pestering even residents of high-rise buildings.
- Despite such encounters with mosquitoes, they themselves do not fly too high of their own free will. Mostly these insects rise above the ground only a few meters.
- However, drafts and wind can lift such a small insect much higher than 2-3 m. If we are talking about the presence of these creatures on the upper floors of, for example, a 9-story building, then it is worth saying the following: they get there mainly not through the open air, but through ventilation hatches, etc.
Mosquitoes fly high only when there is wind
- During such flights, the insect rests several times, clinging to surfaces. This is how mosquitoes can reach the highest floors.
- There is information that this insect was found on the 54th floor of the building.
