What Do Mosquitoes Eat? (Other Than Blood)
[ad_1]
Did you know that blood is not the only thing mosquitoes eat? In fact all mosquitoes need to include something else in their diet in order to survive. What is this mystery food?
Sugar from Plants
Yes, mosquitoes actively feed on nectar and other plant-based sugars that naturally occur on foliage and other blossoming flowers. Mosquitoes need sugar from plants in order to survive; these sugars provide energy and sustain mosquitoes through their entire lives!
This is especially true when it comes to male mosquitoes as their proboscis (the small needle like part of their body they use to eat food with) is not designed to eat blood. Thus male mosquitoes do not bite or suck the blood of humans because they have no need for blood. Females on the other hand do eat blood and if you find one looking to make a snack out of you then you can be sure it is a female!
So some questions you may wonder are: if mosquitoes do not need blood to survive, than why are we the victim of their thirst for blood? Is there anything I can do to prevent these pesky bugs from attacking me while I step foot into any outdoor space? And last, how can I take advantage of the information in this article?
So why do female mosquitoes need blood?
The reason female mosquitoes bite and suck the blood of humans is because they need protein in order to lay eggs. Plant nectar alone cannot provide enough protein for the female mosquito to lay her eggs. So in order for mosquitoes to continue sustaining their population, the female mosquitoes must take in blood from living things! The female will need to take in at least one full blood meal to lay each batch of eggs, and this can occur up to 5 times during their 14 day life span.
How to avoid getting bit by mosquitoes?
One of the best ways to reduce the population of mosquitoes in your area is by being aware of areas in your yard that can be used to breed. It only takes an inch of stagnant water for female mosquitoes to lay a full batch of eggs and give life to more blood suckers. Another important fact to take into consideration is that mosquitoes do not travel far from their birth place. So if you allow them to breed in your yard, you will end up having a bad mosquito problem!
If there are no potential breeding areas in your yard, then you can choose between many different types of mosquito repellents, such as spray on DEET or natural products such as spray on eucalyptus oil. If you are not fond of putting repellent on your skin you can use products that give off the smell instead such as citronella candles, tiki torches and much more.
How Does This Article Benefit Me?
Knowing how mosquitoes breed and what they eat is key for controlling the over population of these blood sucking creatures. The simple things you can do to prevent breeding such as keeping a lid on your trash can or removing old pots that hold water in your yard will go a long way in reducing the population of mosquitoes! If you let just one mosquito lay eggs in your yard it will be potential for 200 new mosquitoes in just a week!
Also knowing their diet can help fight this annoying creature; because we know that all mosquitoes live off of sugar from plants, there are new products that have been released that mimic the smell of the food found on plants but instead infuse the mosquito with a completely natural and non-toxic (to us) ingredient which is none other than garlic oil! Garlic oil will kill mosquitoes soon after they ingest it which will eventually help reduce the population of mosquitoes in your yard by more than 90%!
So in conclusion just a little bit of knowledge can go a long way in reducing the mosquito population in your area! So stay informed and use the methods in this article to keep those annoying insects off your skin this season!
[ad_2]
Source by Brandon Koch
