Have you ever wondered what do mosquitoes eat besides our blood? You know, what else gives them nourishment and pleasure when they are not feasting on our exposed ankles, arms, legs, and even our faces? Contrary to what you think may be true, mosquitoes don’t feed solely on our blood. In fact, only female mosquitoes feed on blood in order to reproduce. The mosquito diet varies depending on their life stage.
No, really…why do they enjoy biting us so much? Like miniature flying Draculas, mosquitoes bite us because they need our blood. Gross, isn’t it? Mosquito bites are the itchy bumps that appear after mosquitoes use their mouthparts to puncture your…
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Or more appropriately stated, some of the worst things about living in Central Massachusetts. Mosquitoes, plural.
The Mosquito Plague In Central Massachusetts
The first reports of mosquito-transmitted Yellow Fever in the United States occurred in Charleston, SC, and Philadelphia, PA, back in 1699. Today, it is found in South America and Africa and causes around 200,000 infections and 30,000 deaths each year. Fortunately, there is an effective vaccine against yellow fever. But what about the other mosquito diseases that surround us here in Central Massachusetts? Are their vaccines for those?
‘Tis the season for landscaping updates. There is nothing like a beautiful spring weekend, spade in-hand, and new plants ready to go in. Updating our yards is one of the most fulfilling tasks in the springtime. Did you know that…
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‘Tis the season – for Massachusetts mosquitoes to emerge. You know the adage about, “March winds and April showers.” The true answer to, “What do April showers bring,” is…MOSQUITOES. It’s prime time if you are mosquito. They look forward to April in Massachusetts just as much as we used to anticipate the last day of school as children. And not just adult mosquitoes, but their unhatched eggs and their larvae too. They have been sittin’ around doin’ nothing since cold weather kicked into high gear late last fall. They are ready to get on with their circle of life.
We know that mosquitoes do not die in the winter, but do we know by what means they survive? In fact, we do! Tiny as they are, mosquitoes are hearty. Their entire life cycle is a testament to their ingenuity and willingness to survive and thrive. Akin to a cold-blooded animal, mosquitoes are unable to regulate their body temperatures. Their ideal climate is a humid 80°F. And while they love heat and humidity, it is possible to be too hot for a mosquito to remain active. In extremely hot and dry climates, they will seek shelter so they do not dehydrate. Conversely, when temperatures hit below 60°F, mosquitoes will become lethargic and less active. What exactly do they they do in cold weather?
If you ever thought mosquitoes to simply be a nuisance, or a necessary evil for our ecosystem, perhaps you have not imagined how large a problem they actually are. In the past, I have written about the largest mosquito and burgeoning mosquito populations. If you have ever been to an outdoor party and suffered a mosquito bite or two, you likely haven’t thought about how large their numbers actually are. Shorter winters and rising temperatures in Central Mass (and everywhere) have seen those numbers grow over the last decade or more. How large could the mosquito population be?
Mosquitoes target us using smell, sight, and taste. We know that they prefer dark colors. But do they prefer singular colors, like red? One peer-reviewed study suggests that the Aedes aegypti mosquito fancies red and orange. And ORANGE you glad such studies exist? You should be, because the more we know about mosquito behavior, the better we can determine our own behaviors that might decrease our chances of becoming a mosquito bite target.
Does it feel like there are more mosquitoes in Massachusetts than ever? If you thought that 2021 the mosquito apocalypse, you are not wrong. You might have found yourself swatting and dodging mosquitoes every time you ventured outdoors last year. And the thing is, you might have even noticed that there were more mosquitoes all the way into fall. Mosquito populations are expanding and the timeline formerly thought of as mosquito season is also growing longer.
If you become nauseated at the thought of blood, you wouldn’t make a great mosquito. Well, female mosquito anyway. Mammalian blood is not just life-sustaining for female mosquitoes. It is used to create new life. Male mosquitoes spend their lives feeding on nectar and plant sap, while females are mostly out for blood. Female mosquitoes seek out their blood meal in order to fertilize their eggs. Human blood contains essential nutrients that help mosquito eggs grow. Among those nutrients are amino acids and proteins. Females lay their clutches in standing water, and those eggs will become adults in about 8 to 10 days. That is potentially 100 to 200 new mosquitoes buzzing around your property, seeking blood, and procreating!