What do male mosquitoes look like

Here are a few key characteristics. Male mosquitoes have more flagella or fine hairs on their antennae, so many so that it appears noticeably bushy to the naked eye. Female mosquitoes typically live longer than male mosquitoes. Because male mosquitoes have no need for human blood, they will typically avoid human contact.

Those tiny, buzzing pests carry diseases such as malaria, encephalitis and yellow fever. Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch? Some mosquitoes can be vectors. A vector is an animal, insect, or tick that spreads pathogens germs to people and animals. The germs viruses and parasites that mosquitoes spread can make you sick. Some mosquitoes bite, but do not spread germs. These types of mosquitoes are called nuisance mosquitoes. The abdomen connects to the thorax and serves as the stomach, reproductive system, and part of the respiratory system.

Female mosquitoes lead slightly more complex lives, but they also require basic life essentials including water, food, shelter, and reproduction.

Nectar and water are the main source of food and nutrients for female mosquitoes before they have mated. To attract a mate, females beat their wings up to times per second to create a buzzing noise. Males can also create buzzing with their wings, but the sound is a lower pitch than their female counterparts. Once the reproductive cycle kicks into action, females need to supplement their diet with much more protein to be able to lay eggs.

In order to do this, females seek out blood from any animal they can find. To find their next meal of blood, mosquitoes track the scent of carbon dioxide which all animals exhale every time they breathe. After mating, the female mosquitoes will find a patch of standing water where they will lay up to eggs at one time. Once these eggs hatch, the females will be able to bite within two days after reaching aulthood and restart the entire process.

Since female mosquitoes are the only mosquito to bite humans and other animals, they are the ones that transmit diseases and should concern you the most.

While male mosquitoes may seem to exist simply to keep the population of mosquitoes thriving worldwide, they may have an unexpected purpose that could help stop the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses. Several scientific studies are conducting experiments with male mosquitoes and the Wolbachia bacteria, which renders male mosquitoes sterile. When released into the wild, these mosquitoes would compete with wild mosquitoes to mate with females. If successful, these sterile males would ensure that procreation would fail.

As a result, mosquito populations could be greatly reduced and the chances of potentially fatal or debilitating diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, and zika virus, would be minimized. Share it with us and our community on our Facebook page.

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