First, let’s discuss what these two mosquitoes have in common. When it comes to obtaining a blood meal for the purpose of reproduction, both mosquitoes are the same. Both have four life stages – egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Female Culex and Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, and both are potential vectors for harmful diseases. Even with these general similarities, these two mosquito genera have many differences.
In 2020, we heard a lot about Asian giant hornets. Fortunately, Worcester residents did not acquire these hornets.
However, according to Mass Audubon, we have quite a few hornet, bee, and wasp species in Worcester. One type of hornet is quite large. The European hornet (Vespa crabro) is alarming. They can grow to 1.5″ in size. European hornets are loud, obnoxious fliers, and are often confused for murder hornets. Their stings pack a punch too! You might have noticed these hornets flying around your outdoor lights at night or early in the morning. Why do they swarm your porch lights? These hornets eat insects that are attracted to light. They also chew insects to feed to their young.
Mosquitoes are everywhere here in Cambridge Mass. Some can barely be seen. Others are quite big. Have you seen monster-sized mosquitoes this year?
If you are wondering if the mosquito below is the biggest mosquito, the answer is no. It is larger than many – one of the largest, in fact. This photo is of a lowly Psorophora ciliata mosquito, which met its untimely demise indoors. A male mosquito can live an average of one week inside your home. Females will find a delicious blood meal in your home, but she will be unable to live long after biting you. Three weeks at most.
The northeastern United States is a high-risk mosquito-borne illness region. Is there a defined mosquito season?
If being in the field of mosquito bite prevention has taught me one thing, it is that most people inaccurately label summertime as “mosquito season.” While we do see more mosquitoes in the summer, this is not mosquito season. Nature brings them out when the time is just right – but not only in the summer.
With nearly 53″ of snowfall this winter, Worcester is the reigning snowiest city in the United States. Central Massachusetts is no stranger to winter snow. What else is prevalent in our area, outside of winter? Mosquitoes and ticks! Is the 2021 nor’easter a good thing for these Central Mass pests? You might be surprised at the answer.
A mosquito trap is set at Guantanamo Bay detention camp every week. Typically close to human sleeping quarters, the trap can catch up to 3,000 mosquitoes in only one week. Captured mosquitoes are sorted and sent to Maryland for identification. Researchers at Fort Meade are so versed in mosquito species identification, they can identify them by sight. When an unidentifiable mosquito is found, it is sent for DNA testing. This happened in January 2019, when a strange-looking female mosquito was found. Like the Asian Tiger mosquito, she was very distinct in appearance. She had marked white spots on her abdomen.
There is no surefire 100% protection from mosquitoes. You might find that it is more difficult to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites away from home. Hiking, camping, vacationing…all these outdoor scenarios present a potential for mosquito bites. Non-infectious mosquito bites can result in a skin reaction. This skin irritation comes from toxins in mosquito saliva. If you have been bitten by a mosquito, you are probably familiar with the bump, redness, and itching a bite can cause. If not properly addressed, your scratching can lead to a skin infection. It’s better to be safe than sorry. The good news is, there are more than a few options for mosquito bite relief.
These days, there is an app for everything. In times past, you might have photographed a mosquito to identify it. Scientists are readying a new identification app, which doesn’t require you phone camera. It uses your phone’s microphone. Ingenuity has delivered a crowd-sourced method of mosquito identification, which can help determine the type of mosquitoes that are in your backyard. Over the years, mosquito studies have proved costly and time-consuming. Scientists usually trap and study mosquito species. A phone app is about to be released, which will allow us to help identify the types of mosquitoes we have flying around your home, by sound.
Have you ever wondered why you still have mosquitoes, even though you have a bug zapper? Are mosquitoes attracted to light? While may bugs have a natural attraction to light, either for help in navigation or as a source of…
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We all know how much mosquitoes love our blood. Last week I wrote about how they love the salty flavor of human blood. But do mosquitoes have blood? Mosquitoes are arachnids and invertebrates. Mosquitoes have blood – of sorts! Invertebrates…
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