Common Name:
Mosquito
Scientific Name:
Varies depending on species
Unique Qualities:
Mosquitoes have slender bodies, divided in three parts, with six long and delicate legs which allows them to make a soft, silent landing on prey. The mosquito's head consists of two huge compound eyes that have numerous lenses all pointed in a different direction. The head has two antennae, which act as "feelers", also helping it sense direction. The mosquito breathes through spiracles along the side of its body. A mosquito can locate blood-hosts by scent, sight and heat. From 30 meters away mosquitoes can smell your scent, especially the carbon dioxide (CO2) you exhale.
Can be Seen:
Mosquitoes can be seen almost everywhere but prefer to live in wetlands. They can be seen in both hot areas by the equator, and cold areas such as the Arctic Circle.
Likes to Hang Out:
The mosquito's favourite hangout sites are ponds, marshes, and swamps. They lay their eggs in shallow water. Tropical mosquitoes like to hang out in forests and jungles. In temperate countries, mosquitoes live in wooded areas. Mosquitoes even live as far north as northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland and northern Europe.
Likes to Eat:
Mosquitoes like to eat a wide variety of materials, mostly involving fluids, for example blood, dung fluids, or plant fluids. Only females mosquitoes drink blood. Males get their nutrients from the nectar of plants, sugar, plant juices, and other sweet things. They also eat decaying matter.
Status:
There are over 3300 species of mosquitoes worldwide. They are very effective as transmitters of disease and parasites. There are over 170 described species of mosquitoes from North America. Several species have been accidentally introduced from other parts of the world. For years, people have been trying to lower the population of mosquitoes because of their disease carrying capabilities.
