Mosquitoes looking for a blood meal use a variety of cues to locate humans, including our body heat and carbon dioxide in our breath. According to new research, a particular olfactory receptor in their antennae also works as a human detector, responding to odor compounds in our sweat.
Researchers discovered mosquitoes’ receptors to detect carbon dioxide, skin odor, and chemicals that interact with the receptor. The findings could help guide mosquito control strategies and the diseases they spread.
Mosquitoes have a remarkable capacity to spot us from a distance and head directly for our exposed flesh. Unfortunately, mosquitoes are more than just an annoying nuisance. They spread various dangerous diseases, including malaria, one of the world’s most common infectious diseases. Malaria kills nearly one million people each year. Mosquitoes also spread Dengue and filarial worms.
Female mosquitoes have cpA neurons, which have carbon dioxide receptors. This allows them to detect the plumes of the air we expel. However, even in the absence of carbon dioxide, mosquitoes are attracted to human skin. This is because we excrete various compounds in our sweat, some of which work as mosquito attractants.
Until now, the identity of the human-specific compounds mosquitoes uses to find us was unknown. However, in the new study published in the journal Nature, scientists identified a specific olfactory receptor in the antennae of female mosquitoes that are activated by human odor compounds.
The researchers found that the receptor, Or4, responds to a wide range of human sweat compounds, including some known mosquito attractants. Moreover, activation of this receptor was sufficient to guide mosquitoes toward a heat source that simulated a human body.
THEIR LIFESPAN
Male mosquitoes can identify females by the sound of their wings. On average, a female mosquito’s wings beat up to 500 times per second. Males can hear and pick out higher flapping frequencies when choosing a mate.
A male mosquito can mate in flight, which takes around fifteen seconds. Male mosquitos will not bite humans or animals. They survive primarily on fruit and plant nectar. Female mosquitoes seek protein in human and animal blood once they carry eggs. She requires protein to grow the eggs in her sack and lay them.
Mosquitoes lack teeth; thus, the female utilizes a proboscis, a long, pointed mouthpart, to pierce the skin and identify a capillary to extract blood from.
A mosquito may consume up to three times its body weight in liquid, yet it would take more than a million bites to deplete your body. The female mosquito must generally feed for 3–4 days before retiring to where she will lay her eggs. In just one inch of stagnant water, a female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs at once.
Eggs
The eggs will hatch two to three days after being deposited in the water. To hatch, the eggs must remain in the water. They won’t finish and will likely perish if the water is emptied.
Larva
They hatch into tiny worm-like organisms that can swim through the water. The larva eats organic material that is present in the still water.
Pupa
The pupa creates a cocoon and is partially wrapped within it, just like a butterfly. It does not eat anything while it is morphing. It develops into an adult mosquito with wings in one to two days.
Adult
Male mosquitoes typically have a lifespan of ten days. A female mosquito can live for six to eight weeks in ideal conditions. A female can lay eggs up to three times in her lifetime. An adult mosquito has six legs, a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. Two compound eyes, two simple eyes, two antennae, and a proboscis are on its head.
Where do Mosquitoes Call Home?
Mosquitoes travel to and thrive in places where there is persistent standing water because they live and spawn in still water. They are well known to swarm in marshes, but where else are they common?
Almost any area in the world is suitable for mosquitoes to settle and breed. While standing water is required to develop the eggs, a massive population of mosquitoes is also necessary to feed.
If the female does not get enough protein, the eggs will not develop, whether they are laid by humans or animals. Some places where mosquitoes are most prevalent are also places where people travel a lot. A beach vacation will expose you to more mosquitoes because it is the ideal place for mosquito breeding.
Farms and areas with cattle are other mosquito-infested regions. Because the animals have been passing through and leaving footprints on the ground, there is typically a lot of standing water in these areas. These imprints become larger after rain and provide a fantastic location for egg laying.
Even while some states are more prone to mosquito swarms, you might even witness some in your backyard if the right circumstances exist.
How to Prevent Unwanted Attacks
It is crucial to use some mosquito repellant to ward off the annoying itching bites, but mostly to protect your health and prevent exposure to the diseases they spread.
The West Nile Virus is the most well-known illness. It was brought to the United States in 1999 by a woman who traveled from the Ugandan region of the West Nile.
Second, malaria is produced and spread by mosquitoes. A parasite that inhabits mosquitoes is the cause of this sickness. The parasite moves through the saliva of the mosquito.
There are so many options available on the market for employing repellents. However, since mosquitoes are a problem throughout the summer, many people are trying to produce more substantial or natural repellants.
The best thing that you can do is to contact a professional mosquito removal service provided by a trustworthy company. They will be able to help you determine what the best course of action is for your specific situation.
Here at Freedom Pest Services, we understand how important it is for you to keep your family safe from mosquitoes and the diseases they spread. But, we also know how difficult it can be to get rid of them alone.
That’s why we offer a comprehensive mosquito removal service that will target all the breeding grounds on your property and eliminate the problem at its source. Contact us now!