Origin of the word "mosquito".
How mosquitoes reproduce.
Life cycle of mosquitoes.
Who do mosquitoes prefer to bite?
Mosquito flight speed.
How mosquitoes spend the winter.
Monuments to Mosquitoes
Origin of the word "mosquito""
There are several versions:
1. The word "mosquito" comes from Sanskrit "kamaari", which means "enemies of the God of Love Kama", the young Cupid who loved to sit naked in the bushes, with a bow and arrow in his hands.
2. If you divide given word thus: ko-k>mar-mar. Then KO - KЪ in this word has the same meaning as KTO, MAR - MAR - is the noun “mara” - “fog, darkness, darkness”. Taking into account that fog, or rather a damp and humid environment, favorite place habitat of mosquitoes, it turns out that a mosquito is one who lives in a humid environment, or rather, mosquitoes lay eggs there and raise their offspring...
3. According to the third version - KЪ MAR - to mara, that is, the one who is with Mara, the servant of the goddess Marana - the supplier of blood.
How mosquitoes reproduce and what is the role of the male
Many people have probably observed mosquitoes swarming in nature. On warm, quiet summer evenings, before sunset, somewhere near a pond, near the crown of trees or along paths in a meadow, many people watched mosquitoes swarming. The literature describes swarms that reached a width of 1-5 m and a height of 7 m.
The swarm consists of only males, but mating occurs at the moment when the female is near the swarm, and it is the male who looks for the female, and not vice versa. This type of mating is known as eurygamy, it requires a lot of space and involves swarming. Eurygamy (mating during swarming) is characteristic of many mosquito species. The behavior of the urban mosquito is completely different: the meeting of sexes and their mating can occur without swarming, which becomes possible in small cages and even in vitro. This type of mating is called stenogamy (mating without swarming). This feature of the reproductive behavior of the urban mosquito allows it to successfully reproduce in basements, which are often of limited size.
Clusters consist of a huge number of mosquitoes - tens, or even hundreds of thousands. Mosquitoes huddle in place and make ringing noises that attract females. Mosquito wings make this sound only when they oscillate at a frequency of over 594 beats per second. When sitting, these mosquitoes twitch their legs. These are ringing mosquitoes. The mouthparts of bells are not developed, they do not feed and live for 3-7 days.
A mature male mosquito uses its antennae, which serve as hearing organs, to detect a female. These antennas have their own special functions. At their ends there are thin hairs that are highly sensitive to sounds made by the female.
In addition, the male has special appendages near the genitals that help him hold the female during mating in the air.
A female flying into a swarm is fertilized by the one who manages to grab her first. Mating lasts a short time, and the male mosquito returns to his group. And from this moment (the moment of fertilization), the female mosquito needs blood for the development of eggs.
The internal genital organs are hidden in the mosquito's body. In females these are the ovaries, in males these are the testes. External genitalia male mosquitoes have a complex structure. Identification of many species of mosquitoes is possible only due to differences in the structure of the male genitalia. The ovipositor in female mosquitoes looks like a short tube. Fertilization in mosquitoes is internal, that is, sperm during sexual intercourse enters the female's genital tract (external fertilization, for example, in fish - they pour milk on their eggs).
Life cycle of mosquitoes
Mosquitoes go through 4 stages during their life: egg > larva > pupa > adult.
After mating, the female mosquito looks for a living object and drinks blood. After this, the blood begins to be digested and at the same time the eggs mature. When the time comes, the female lays eggs. Any small puddle, hole, ditch or depression filled with water can serve as a place for laying eggs; mosquitoes willingly lay eggs in open barrels, basins, troughs and other containers with water. Moreover, mosquitoes find any bodies of water based on air humidity.
Females can lay eggs two ways:
*one egg separately,
* whole “packs” of eggs glued together.
In one go, the female can lay approximately 120-150 eggs.
The duration of egg development depends on the water temperature and usually ranges from 40 hours to 8 days. Thus, after a few days, the eggs hatch into fairly mobile larvae 1-2 mm in size, their body consists of a head, chest and abdomen. The larvae feed on small organisms living in water, eating them from the surface of plants and various objects. And they grow very quickly.
mosquito larva |
It is very easy to detect larvae in a small body of water. In their normal state, mosquito larvae “dangle” upside down under the surface of the water. But if they are frightened or if there is disturbance in the water, the larvae immediately “break away” and go into the depths with characteristic zigzag movements. After a short time, the larva will certainly float to the surface of the water: the supply of air in its body requires constant refreshment. Hanging at the surface of the water, the larvae absorb it through a special breathing tube with a water-repellent tip. The larvae of bell mosquitoes are known as bloodworms and serve as important food for fish. |
Bloodworm (Mosquito larva Chironomidas siu Teudipedae) red color |
In the larval state, the mosquito molts 4 times, after the 4th molt it turns into a chrysalis. The body of the pupa is curved like a comma and consists of a wider cephalothorax and a tapering, tucked abdomen. The pupa can move, swims very well, faster than the larva, using energetic movements of the abdomen. If nothing frightens the pupa, it remains for a long time under the very surface of the water, putting out small horns - breathing tubes. A disturbed pupa can quickly sink to depth. The pupa has a peculiarity: it can only be at depth in motion, otherwise it floats to the surface, like a cork, since it is lighter than water. At the end of the “pupa” phase, it changes color: from light brown to almost black. |
Mosquito pupa |
The duration of development of the larva and pupa is influenced by the water temperature and the characteristics of this species. A very complex process takes place inside the pupa for 2.5 - 4.5 days, as a result of which an adult mosquito appears ready to fly. (imago). Upon completion of this process, the skin on the back of the pupa bursts, and through the gap that appears, first the head, then the chest of the mosquito, and finally the wings and limbs are released. After a few minutes it flies to the coastal vegetation. The males always appear first. They gather at the breeding sites and form swarms, waiting for their “brides”. In fertilized females, the blood-sucking instinct awakens. A hungry fertilized female can “smell” people and animals at a distance of up to 2-3 km. In one sucking session, a female mosquito can drink more blood than its original weight. After laying eggs, the female becomes aggressive again, searches for prey again, and the cycle repeats. |
Once saturated with blood, interest in food disappears until the next batch of eggs matures and is laid. After each egg laying, a significant part of the mosquitoes die.
The lifespan of a female is usually 2-3 weeks, but can reach 114-119 days, as it directly depends on the air temperature and the availability of food. The lifespan of males is much shorter.
The developmental process of a mosquito from laying eggs to adult lasts 15-60 days and also depends on the ambient temperature.
During the summer (a warm period of time, different in different places), 3-4 generations of mosquitoes grow in mid-latitudes, southern regions– 6-8. Mosquitoes go to winter in the imago phase (fertilized females), larvae overwinter in more or less warm places: caves, tree hollows, burrows, basements, residential apartments, stairwells.
By the way, recent observations show that poor living conditions only increase the growth of mosquito populations and life expectancy. Adaptability and changes that have occurred since basement mosquitoes no longer fit into the usual framework for science. Several key features in their lifestyle have changed:
- the city basement mosquito has acquired the ability to live and reproduce in dirty water;
- for the mating process, mosquitoes no longer need to form a swarm - they have adapted to a limited space;
- female mosquitoes have acquired the ability to lay eggs without being saturated with blood. The mosquito, after the pupal stage, can produce viable offspring.
Why do mosquitoes bite?
Mosquitoes bite to breed (produce eggs). Mosquitoes need blood to lay eggs, so the egg laying cycle is directly dependent on blood consumption. From this it becomes obvious that only female mosquitoes need blood, while males are indifferent to it. Just one drop of blood gives life to hundreds of mosquito eggs.
But in fact, not all mosquitoes suck the blood of animals and people. Some of them feed on plant juices and nectar, while the above-mentioned bell-bellied mosquitoes do not feed at all.
Who bites?
Only female mosquitoes bite. All males (without exception) known species mosquitoes feed exclusively plant foods(nectar and pollen of flowers) and do not make a living by sucking blood, but they also itch disgustingly. Thus, they do not consume proteins (which are contained in the blood), but live exclusively on carbohydrates. But females, if there is nowhere to get blood, they temporarily become vegetarians, although in this case they can no longer lay eggs.
Who's squeaking?
When the mating period begins, the “mosquitoes” call the “mosquitoes” with a characteristic, very high-pitched sound, reminiscent of an ordinary squeak that is made with the help of their wings. Mosquitoes pick up sound vibrations with their antennae. Female mosquitoes squeak a little more thinly than males, and young mosquitoes do not squeak as much as older ones. And males recognize these differences and choose more mature females. In general, whoever squeaks better gets his gentleman.
How mosquitoes find their victims, and even at night?
Special sensors on the antennae, which are very sensitive, help the female blood-sucking mosquito find a suitable victim.
- to ordinary thermal radiation emanating from a living being. Mosquitoes see heat radiation. Moreover, open areas of the human body are warmer and mosquitoes sense this.
- to metabolic products of humans or animals: carbon dioxide and certain acids, for example uric acid, lactic acid.
Mosquitoes can smell the smell of lactic acid contained in sweat from 3 kilometers away. But even if you decide to outwit the villains by using perfume, and even more so if it contains musk, this is tantamount to waving a poster and shouting: “come on, I’m the sweetest.” Advice: do not use cosmetics with a very strong smell: perfume, hairspray, deodorant, soap, lipstick.
Who gets bitten?
Mosquitoes are actually gourmets; what mosquitoes like most is:
- blood in people with the first and second blood groups;
- blood in children (due to delicate thin skin);
- female blood. Moreover, among women, they prefer those who have started having dangerous days for conception - days 13 - 18 of the cycle, and pregnant women. This is explained by the fact that insects smell the “smell” of cholesterol, the level of which increases in women during hormonal changes.
- blood of obese people, heart patients with atherosclerosis.
There is some comforting news. In all likelihood, mosquito bite marks will soon be equated with evidence of passionate love - hickeys. In England, biologists have determined that more temperamental people are several times more likely to be attacked by bloodsucking mosquitoes than sexually cold people. High level The content of sex hormones in human blood (testosterone in men, estrogen in women) increases the attractiveness of the victim in the eyes of a mosquito.
Mosquito flight speed
Typically, a mosquito's flight speed is 3.2 km/h.
Flight duration The distance of a mosquito is highly dependent on the species and can range from a few hundred meters to 100 km (with the help of air jets). The mosquito belongs to that group of insects that are considered good flyers.
How do mosquitoes winter?
Mosquitoes are able to endure winter at any stage of their development: as a larva, pupa, or adult. Mosquito eggs can remain viable for a long time, and even if the moist environment in which they were laid is overtaken by drought, the larvae will hatch as soon as the environment around them becomes moist, at least after 2-3 years.
Mosquitoes can overwinter both in natural shelters (in tree hollows, under bark, animal burrows, in dry grass, caves and cracks, etc.) and in man-made shelters (cellars, vegetable stores, unheated outbuildings and basements) . Most mosquitoes do not feed on blood in winter.
What are mosquitoes for?
It’s as if mosquitoes were specially created just to annoy us. And when it became known that they are responsible for the transmission of a huge number of diseases, the mosquito began to seem like a real curse.
Meanwhile, mosquitoes are a necessary component of the natural balance, and no matter how much we scold them, we would regret their disappearance even more bitterly. The fact is that tiny mosquitoes are links to more large system, biocenosis. And here everything matters: both the atmosphere and water regime, and soil, and microorganisms, and animals. If one of the links is excluded, all subsequent ones will suffer, and the balance in nature will be disrupted. For example, in the Arctic, where most northern birds nest during the short, cold summers, mosquito larvae are often their only source of food.
But even those mosquitoes and larvae that managed to avoid becoming food for birds or fish will still live for good reason. Myriads of insects carry tons of chemical elements: carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, boron - which are so necessary for plants. It is believed that mosquito clouds are sometimes the only biological transport for certain microelements, without which both blades of grass and mighty trees lose their strength.
By transmitting infections, mosquitoes serve as an important stabilizer of ecosystems, since they regulate animal populations, just like predators.
Mosquito monuments in different cities of the world
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Mosquito Monument |
Monument to the mosquito in Salekhard, Tyumen region. |
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Monument to a mosquito in Novosibirsk near the State Art Museum on Sverdlov Street |
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In Berdyansk (Ukraine) there is a monument to the bell mosquito, since it is the bell mosquito, or rather its larva, the bloodworm, that restores medicinal properties silt in the Sea of Azov, on the shore of which Berdyansk is located. The mosquito is even protected, pursuing the illegal extraction of bloodworms in the estuaries for sale to aquarists. The bell mosquito has important in the ecosystem and when fighting it, it is useful to remember this so as not to repeat the sad experience of Chinese sparrows. In the city you can buy a badge with a picture of a mosquito and the inscription “I belong!” They say it helps - they don't bite |
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Another mosquito monument is in the city of Komarno (there are cities with this name in Slovakia and Canada. In which of them the mosquito monument was erected, it was not possible to clarify). The steel statue was made in 1984 and has a wingspan of 5 meters. The largest mosquito monument in the world |
Mosquito Monument in Suwon (South Korea) |
This mosquito lives in Alaska |
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Warning sign in the forest |
The appearance of mosquitoes in the apartment - sleepless nights. Neighborhood with these insects cannot be pleasant, because they bite, and besides, they are carriers infectious diseases. It turns out that we know very little about them, but they are one of the components of the evolutionary chain, and, therefore, without their existence the development of other natural links is impossible.
Description of insects
What does a mosquito look like? A mosquito under a microscope is not at all similar to the small insect that we are used to seeing on our bodies. If in an apartment you can still see them on the wall or light curtains, then on the street they are perfectly camouflaged and quietly attack the “victim”.
The body of the insect, depending on the type of go, can be yellow, gray or brown. Its length can vary from one to one and a half centimeters. Considering the structure of an adult mosquito, we can conditionally divide its body into such components as the head, thoracic segment, abdomen, long legs with claws, and wings.
Due to the special structure of the thoracic region, insects develop a long neck.
At the ends of the legs there are claws, due to which the mosquito can be held on various horizontal and vertical, as well as inverted surfaces.
Mosquito legs
Insect wings consist of many scales, and there is a fringe on the back side. Due to the longitudinal and transverse veins, they are tough and durable. The number of insect wing vibrations per second is more than one thousand times!
No less interesting is the structure of his head. It contains the mosquito's eyes and sensitive antennae. In addition, the mosquito's mouthparts are located precisely within the head and are a combination of the upper and lower lips, two jaws and sharp needles. The head of a mosquito is a kind of center responsible for searching for a food source.
If insects have lips and jaws, do mosquitoes have teeth? It turns out that yes, and the insect uses them when committing bites of the chosen “victim”. Mosquitoes are also teethers; their jaws are equipped with fifty teeth, with which they can successfully cling to tissue if they want to get enough. The teeth of an insect are a kind of retainer that allows the use of other elements. oral apparatus– needles and proboscis of a hungry mosquito.
The genital organs of insects are located in the abdomen - in the last two of ten segments, and the anus is also located here. The structure of the male's genital organs is much more complex than that of the female. The abdomen, when the insect is saturated, eggs are gestating, or is obese (even this happens), tends to increase in size due to the pleural membranes.
The male mosquito is smaller than the female. The weight of a hungry mosquito is just over one milligram, and that of a satiated adult insect is three milligrams. 
Features of the habitat
Mosquitoes are, of course, attracted to the humid environment in which they breed. Large concentrations of them are observed near reservoirs, rivers, the sea, in wooded and wetlands, and in meadows with tall grass. Within a multi-storey building, favorable conditions for their reproduction are created in basements - damp and unheated. Private houses are also not protected from their proximity; insects breed near swimming pools, wells, fountains, and in flower beds.
Even containers with collected water and ordinary puddles are a favorable factor for increasing their population.
They are very thermophilic, but too heat is not favorable for their reproduction. Particularly large concentrations of them have been recorded in regions with a temperate continental climate.
They live everywhere except Antarctica.
Mosquito "singing"
There is no need to remind 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 oral cavity 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.
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. Within a week, the larvae hatch from them, 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 firecrackers.
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 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 spend the winter? 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
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.
Varieties of blood-sucking insects
In total, there are more than three thousand species of insects on Earth. Up to a hundred of their species have taken root on the territory of Russia. The most common are:
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. From the usual chain evolutionary development For all of the above-mentioned individuals, the main source of food will disappear, 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.
People look forward to the coming of summer. In summer it is warm and light, the only hindrance is the abundance of annoying mosquitoes. People protect themselves from them as best they can: they fence themselves off with canopies, use different ointments, even burn fires in nature - it’s useless. Nature has created more than three thousand species of these dipterous, long-whiskered insects. They live in Russia about a hundred species.
Features of the insect
The mosquito has a narrow body. The head, chest and abdomen are elongated in length and do not exceed 1.5 cm. The insect's three pairs of legs are equipped with tenacious claws at the end. Nature has awarded insects with narrow wings with barely noticeable veins. From their vibrations, reaching up to a thousand strokes per second, a annoying squeak. Mosquitoes mainly have grey colour, but can be brown and even yellowish. On average an insect weighs about 2 mg, however, once full, it becomes significantly heavier.
The differences between insects are directly related to their purposes. The female needs to think about procreation. And the male takes the most minimal part in this.
Antennas
And in the male they are equipped with shoots and look like a lush mustache. More advanced antennas are necessary for the male mosquito to more acute hearing. Then he will quickly find a girlfriend in the mosquito thicket. The female has an antenna more modest and even. They do not need to look for a partner. They often curl up, waiting for a female. Then the fastest one mates with her, the one with more developed antennae.
But the female has better developed sensory abilities. They are able to sense the warmth of a mammal from several kilometers away. Including humans. They can also trap lactic or uric acid, carbon dioxide.
Insect feeding
To lay eggs, the female needs blood containing lipids, fats and proteins. A female mosquito can suck blood for about three minutes, collecting about three microliters of blood. During the bite, the female injects carbon dioxide and yeast into the blood. The gas prevents blood clotting. And yeast causes itching and redness. At this time, a special section in her stomach opens, intended for digesting protein foods.
The female often sacrifices her life to continue the race. And for males, the juice, nectar and pollen of the plant are enough to maintain their lives. By eating carbohydrates, they gain energy for their flight. When the female cannot drink blood, she switches to vegetarian food. In this case, the female lays no more than one hundred eggs.
Oral apparatus
The underdeveloped jaws of the insect form a needle. It moves along a groove laid between the upper and lower lips. Saliva flows from a canal that is hidden in the cavity of the tongue. It contains anticoagulants and anesthetics. Nature has rewarded insects small teeth. The female's proboscis has bristles that pierce the skin. But the male does not have them. They don’t need them: they don’t feed on blood. The male's proboscis is more delicate, however, it is quite adapted for obtaining food.
Taste preferences of insects
Scientists suggest that female insects show preference when choosing their prey. First of all, they look for a person who has more cholesterol and testosterone in their blood. Some people prefer to feed on the blood of a caterpillar, frog or fish.
Insect swarming
In summer, towards evening, you can see mosquito swarming. In this way, males, equipped with especially sensitive antennas, guard females. They recognize her by the special squeak that the female makes with her wings. A pair of insects whose oscillation frequency matches mates. To hold the female, the male has special appendages that his partner does not have. Mosquitoes living in the city do without swarming. They are in worse conditions than field and forest insects. They have to mate in small corners, in the basement or in a hole. Plant remains serve as their food.
Four development cycles
After mating, the female insect looks for a victim from whom she could take a drop of blood. Then the female climbs into a secluded place. There, simultaneously with the digestion of blood, the female’s eggs mature. She lays them on the surface of the water. This may be an ordinary puddle, a dirty ditch, an overgrown pond or a shallow lake. At one time, an insect can lay up to one and a half hundred eggs.
After about a week, depending on where the eggs are laid, larvae emerge. When conditions for the development of larvae are unfavorable, eggs can be stored before three years . Under suitable conditions, the larvae descend to the middle of the water column. They feed on small plankton. To saturate with oxygen, the larvae rise to the surface of the water. After four molts, a pupa emerges from the larva. She behaves more mobile and hides if she is in danger. After a few days the doll breaks skin covering, releasing a sexually mature insect into the world. They move along the water surface to the shore. It has been noticed that the development period of males is shorter than that of their female counterparts. Over the course of its entire life, a female is capable of mating up to four times.
Wintering
Mosquitoes take refuge from the winter cold mainly under the bark or in the cracks of trees. Most often, females remain to spend the winter. Males have a short life, about three weeks. Females can survive for more than three months.
Harm and benefits of mosquitoes
Insects play their part in the balance of nature. Adults and their larvae feed more large inhabitants planets. Females cause harm to humans. Their bites are painful to humans and cause irritation on their skin. In addition, female mosquitoes are capable of transmitting infection, infecting the victim with malaria and tularemia. Scientists are sure that a common person can survive five hundred mosquito attacks. When there are more mosquito bites, a person experiences intoxication or painful shock.
How to protect yourself from insects:
- Using a mosquito net.
- Loose-fitting clothing.
- Applying repellents to the skin.
- In the forest, the smoke of a fire and ordinary tree branches can save you if you break them and brush away mosquitoes.
- People who are sensitive to insect bites are advised to carry antihistamines with them.
Classification: phylum arthropods, class insects, order flies and mosquitoes, family mosquitoes. The body length of a mosquito ranges from 8 mm to 1.30 cm. An adult mosquito lives about 5 days, but can live up to 30 days. Females live longer than males. Representatives of this order differ from other winged insects in that they have only one pair of wings. Only the front two wings are used for flight. The hind ones have turned into so-called halteres, which help maintain balance during flight. The antennae of mosquitoes are long, multi-segmented, long proboscis. There are many species that live in different environments. Larvae most often develop in stagnant waters, usually puddles and ponds. Squeaky mosquitoes ( Culex pipiens) are rather annoying insects, but harmless bloodsuckers. Only females drink blood, because without this, eggs will not develop in them.
Mating occurs 2-4 days after leaving the water. It has a thin body, long legs, and on the head there are a pair of antennae and a very thin and sharp proboscis. The mosquito’s antennae are so sensitive to sound vibrations in the air that they perform the function of the insect’s missing ears. In Spanish-speaking countries, the mosquito is called the word “mosquito,” which means “little fly.” However, despite their small size, these insects are a terrible nuisance to people and animals, and are also carriers of diseases: malaria (swamp fever) and yellow fever. These diseases are especially common in some areas of Africa.
If you look at a mosquito under a microscope, you will see what huge eyes this insect has. Like most flies, a mosquito's eyes are made up of hundreds of tiny lens facets that provide it with excellent vision. Two long antennae grow from the front of the mosquito's head. The male's antennae are covered with hundreds of tiny hairs and therefore look like feathers. The female's antennae are long and smooth. With the help of these antennae, mosquitoes can touch what is in their path, and also feel if there is a female nearby. While the males eat flower nectar, the females pierce the skin of the victims with their hard proboscis and drink blood. At the same time, they inject a little saliva into the wound so that the blood does not clot. The place where the mosquito bites is not only very itchy, but through it pathogenic microbes can enter our body. The female needs blood to produce and lay eggs. The rest of the mosquito’s body looks quite nice. For example, colored markings on the abdomen formed by a special kind of scales provide the mosquito with a protective coloration, thanks to which it is not so easy to see, much less catch.
The colors of mosquitoes vary. Some types of mosquitoes have a dull brown color in order to be invisible against the background of tree bark. Others, bearing black and white stripes on their bodies, are difficult to distinguish in the undergrowth among the shadows and sunspots.
These insects, like most others, love warmth. If you are warm summer evening came to the shore of a pond and heard a familiar itching sound, this means that soon you will probably notice a flock of insects hovering above the water.
The spectacle is interesting! Still, try not to come close, otherwise the females will attack to drink your blood. As a rule, most of The mosquitoes in the flock are males who do not drink blood, preferring to feed on sugary liquids, such as flower juice. But the males do not buzz; so the familiar, disgusting sound means that there are female bloodsuckers in the flock.
You may not realize that such a loud itching noise can be made by a relatively small number of insects; however, the mosquito flaps its wings at an amazing speed - 500 beats per second! During mating season the female tries to attract the attention of the male with a sound similar to a thin squeak, which she makes with the help of her wings. Males catch these piercing sounds with sensitive antennae and begin courtship. For example, the invisible mosquito Forsypomia makes 62,760 beats of its tiny wings in 1 minute.
Sometimes you can notice that males behave very restlessly. This behavior is an integral part of mating games. Some species of male mosquitoes even gather in flocks and perform a kind of dance to attract females. Before mating, females do not look for someone to bite - the time has not yet come for this. But then, before laying eggs, they will rush in search of fresh food. blood - for reproduction they need the protein contained in it. Wanting to taste blood, the female mosquito lands on the skin of the victim. The outer “sheath” of her oral apparatus moves back, revealing sharp mandibles. Then the jagged jaws, elongated like a proboscis, pierce the skin of a bird or rabbit , cow, snake or human, pumping blood out of the capillaries. A small spot remains at the site of the bite, causing severe itching. Therefore, try to avoid mosquito bites.
According to scientific data, there are more than 2,400 species of mosquitoes in the world, living almost everywhere. All mosquitoes begin their lives in an aquatic environment; however there are differences for different types mosquitoes
After mating, the female mosquito goes to where there is standing water several centimeters deep; ponds, puddles, swamps and ditches are ideal. If there are no natural bodies of water nearby, then anything will do - a barrel of water or a tin can filled with rainwater. In this regard, mosquitoes are not very picky. Each female squeak mosquito (culex) lays up to three hundred eggs, which float on the surface of the water, stuck together into a single mass. At this stage, mosquito eggs resemble a tiny raft about 5 mm long.
Centipedes are those large mosquitoes that fly out from under your feet in a wet meadow or forest clearings and, lazily flying several tens of meters, hide again in the grass. Despite their size, long-legged mosquitoes are completely harmless.
The largest species in Central Europe, the large centipede reaches a length of 4 cm. Adults drink nectar and live only a few days. Centipede larvae can be recognized by their elongated body and star-shaped abdomen. They live in soft soil or water. Twitch mosquitoes (family Chironomidae, numbering over 3,000 species) are also harmless. They are also called bells: on quiet warm evenings, over the banks of ponds and small rivers overgrown with reeds, you can hear a thin melodic ringing made by swarming mosquitoes, sharply flying up and passively falling down. Adults are usually pale yellow or light green, less often dark in color, and their forelimbs are greatly elongated. These insects, which live only a few days, often gather in huge clouds. Worm-like larvae reach a length of 2 cm and can be found at the bottom of any body of water. They are playing important role in the life of its inhabitants, being food for them, from fish to the larvae of dragonflies and beetles.
Squeaker mosquito
Squeaker mosquito
| Magnitude | Body length about 5 mm |
| Signs | Slender body, 2 transparent wings, long legs and long thin antennas; larvae striped, with groups of hairs on the sides; pupae are club-shaped; larvae and pupae move jerkily |
| Nutrition | Adult females suck blood, adult males suck plant juices; larvae feed on algae and tiny animals floating in the water |
| Reproduction | The female lays eggs in a shell (“boat”) on the surface of the water; larvae and pupae live in water |
| Habitats | The larvae live in small bodies of standing water (puddles, ponds, rain barrels), as well as in larger and smaller bodies of water; all of Europe and adjacent areas of neighboring continents |
A mosquito is a blood-sucking insect. In addition to the usual classic type of mosquito, there are many other varieties of individuals that can cause more harm than ordinary bites. There are several versions regarding the origin of these insects. One is in Sanskrit, which is translated as “enemies of the God of love Kama,” the other suggests a slightly different etymology “fog, darkness.” Mosquitoes live in humid environments and reproduce their offspring there. Let's look at the main types of mosquitoes, their habitat and lifestyle features.
Types of mosquitoes
Practice includes several dozen species of these interesting insects; within the framework of the material, the most common varieties of different mosquitoes will be considered. This is a mosquito of the species centipede, anopheles, squeak and other individuals. Let's look at what types of mosquitoes there are according to classification, habitat and other characteristics.
Common mosquito (squeaker)
These types of mosquitoes can be found everywhere and are particularly annoying, with females infecting both people and domestic animals and livestock. The squeak mosquito is quite dangerous because its bites cause itching, burning and discomfort. The size characteristics of adult individuals reach parameters of the order of 3-8 mm; only females drink blood, while males feed on food of plant origin, mainly juices. The squeak mosquito can be a carrier of serious diseases; it spreads strains of viruses. Also, the mosquito (male or female) squeaker can carry infectious type eczema. The traditional mosquito of the genus squeak is found in middle lane where a humid climate prevails.
Centipede
Centipede mosquito Karamor
The long-legged mosquito is a long-legged mosquito that prefers to live in places higher level humidity. It usually settles near shallow bodies of water, in swampy areas, and in thickets of forest. A mosquito of the genus centipede can reach a length of 4 to 8 cm; it is often mistaken for a malarial insect, and this is a misconception. Karamor is the largest mosquito in the world. The centipede does not bite; the diet of the individual is dominated by juices of plant origin, therefore this insect does not pose a danger to humans. However, the centipede mosquito can cause irreparable damage to agricultural lands. Caramora larvae are especially voracious, preferring plants and algae, as well as the tender roots of newly formed plantings.
Malaria-type mosquitoes
This is far from the largest mosquito from this family of insects; on the contrary, it is small in size. According to their habitat, individuals can be found on any continent with the exception of Antarctica, where it is always cold. Mosquitoes of this type are found in the tundra and shady forests. As the main external distinctive feature individuals are distinguished by the presence of white stripes in the area of the limbs and body. Eggs are laid during late autumn on the banks of swamps, people rarely appear in this area. Adult mosquitoes carry dangerous diseases, and these mosquitoes kill people.
Winter insects
Compared to other species of individuals, this is a huge mosquito, which has external manifestations along with centipedes and large spiders. But there are enormous differences in terms of the lifestyle of insects. Is not blood-sucking mosquitoes, preferring to settle in caves, inside stumps and trees that are half rotten. They feed on plant waste and pose no danger to humans. Adults can reach 20 mm in size. They meet all year round, even in winter months, in fact, for this reason they got their name.
This species is not a bloodsucker; on the contrary, individuals prefer to eat nectars of plant origin. In size, this is an ordinary mosquito that prefers to lay eggs in water or other moist, damp environment. During the growth stage, the larvae can eat the remains of algae or plant products, and sometimes they can take on the role of predators. Typically, such individuals prefer to settle in flooded meadows and in places where there is an abundance of moss.
The individual is harmless, life expectancy is only 2-5 days. Predominant habitats - dense thickets formed on ponds, small rivers or swamps. Individuals that reach adulthood are usually equipped with dark brown coloration and limbs long length. They often fly in clouds over bodies of water, but are not capable of harming humans, since they prefer a vegetarian diet.
Tiger mosquito
The Asian tiger mosquito is an insect to be wary of. It is found in Asia, but in Lately was discovered in Europe. The main harm of the insect is that it carries serious viral infectious diseases - malaria, typhoid, Dengue fever, ZIKA virus and other diseases accompanied by serious symptoms. Dengue fever and ZIKA virus – dangerous disease viral type. This is a tropical mosquito and is therefore found mainly in wild conditions. This is a small insect with two black and white wings.
Where do mosquitoes live?
Mostly these insects prefer to settle in warm places and in the middle zone. They can be found in almost every corner globe, but there are places where there are no mosquitoes. This is the Arctic, Antarctica. There are no suitable conditions for them in these parts, so lion's share representatives of this family are found in warm Asian countries– India, Thailand, China, Italy, Spain, France, South America. They carry various diseases, including Dengue, ZIKA virus. Traditional types of mosquitoes (squeaker and others) are found in the middle zone.
Mosquitoes in Thailand
The highest level of mosquito presence is observed in this sunny country. It is home to the malaria mosquito, tiger mosquito, centipede and other mosquitoes with killer cliches. Mosquitoes in Phuket deserve special attention. They carry the most dangerous diseases - Dengue, ZIKA virus, malaria, typhus, febrile diseases. Individuals meet here different sizes- the largest and smallest representative from around the globe. So if you are going to any Thai resort, study the safety rules so as not to be exposed to the bites carried by mosquitoes that live in Thailand.
Mosquitoes in Crimea
Basement mosquitoes are found in basements and utility rooms. But there are also more dangerous individuals that can carry serious diseases - Dengue, Zika, and so on. According to statistics, the smallest number of these insects occurs in Evpatoria. In general, the following mosquitoes are found in Crimea:
Mosquitoes in the tundra
Most often, the dominant mosquito here is the biting type, equipped with two stripes. Other mosquitoes, blood-sucking mutants, may also occur. Midges, winter mosquitoes and mosquitoes are also found here. It is worth noting that the mosquitoes here are real mutants, since they behave much more ferociously than mosquitoes living in other places.
These insects can be found in every corner of the world. To figure out which of them are 100% harmless and which can cause harm. real threat, you need to know the varieties and distinguish between them.
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