Mosquitoes are small flying insects within the family Culicidae notorious for itchy bites, sucking blood, and spreading diseases.There are over 3,600 species of mosquitoes all around the world. It is a common misconception that all mosquitoes bite and suck the blood of humans and animals leaving them with itchy bumps, but that’s not true.Only adult females, of most mosquito species, bite and feed on blood to produce eggs. Males do not bite or suck blood. In fact, blood is not the main and only food source for mosquitoes. They also feed on nectar and other fluids obtained from plants, flowers, and fruits to get sugar and energy.The mosquito life cycle consists of four stages which are egg, larva, pupa, and adult. A female mosquito often lays around 100 eggs at a time. Females lay eggs in or near water bodies as their eggs hatch only when they are in contact with water. Different species of mosquitoes prefer different aquatic habitats to produce their eggs such as flood plains, stagnant water pools, puddles, flower pots, and coconut shells.After the eggs are hatched, larvae, also called wigglers, breathe through a siphon tube by hanging upside down atop the water surface. Mosquito larvae are feasted upon by various creatures such as insects, frogs, fishes, and birds.Next is the larval stage during which the larvae grow and develop into pupae, also called tumblers. At this stage, the pupa develops a tail that helps it move through the water. In this process of metamorphosis, they do not eat anything. Within two to three days, they reach maturity and come to the water surface as adult mosquitoes.On reaching maturity, mosquitoes no longer dwell in water and fly away to forage for food. They consume nectar and juices from plants, flowers, and fruits. Mosquitoes are one of the most essential pollinators along with other flying insects.Are you enjoying this article on mosquitoes? Give a read to these fun fact animal articles on what do pigs eat and what do robins eat here on Kidadl.What do mosquitoes eat besides blood?Just like any other living creature, mosquitoes need a variety of food sources for survival. Mosquitoes, no matter male or female, require energy for flying, reproducing, and sustaining themselves. They mainly feed on nectar, juices from flowers and fruits, liquids and fluids from plants, plant sap, and honeydew for nourishment. Different species of mosquitoes sustain different plant types. Only female mosquitoes need an intake of blood to provide essential protein for laying eggs. Female mosquitoes store the sugar consumed from other food sources separately from the blood. Besides blood, male mosquitoes and female mosquitoes have the same diet and feeding habits.The lifespan of male mosquitoes is much shorter than that of female mosquitoes. Generally, male mosquitoes approximately live for one to two weeks whereas female mosquitoes can live for nearly around four to five weeks. The lifespan of mosquitoes mainly depends on the species, temperature, and humidity of a habitat.Some mosquito species go into hibernation during the winter to carry on their population the following spring. This is the reason female mosquitoes require more excess energy than male mosquitoes to sustain. Before going into hibernation, female mosquitoes consume more levels of sugar so that can store in excessive energy for survival in the cold conditions without requiring an additional food source.In the dormant stage during winter conditions, female mosquitoes can typically go as long as six months without drinking or eating. As the weather warms up, they need feeding on a regular basis. If they are unable to access food then they may not survive for more than three days.Why do mosquitoes eat blood?A female mosquito requires to feed on blood to lay eggs. To be precise, this female pest requires a specific protein found in the blood for the development and maturation of its produced eggs. After the eggs have been laid, this female pest feeds on another blood meal for laying the next batch of eggs. However, there are some mosquito species that do not require drinking blood to lay eggs. They just require a sufficient amount of carbohydrates in order to lay eggs. A female mosquito can produce multiple times in its lifespan.Female mosquitoes have tube-like mouthparts called proboscis that help them to pierce through the human or animal skin to suck and feed on blood. On the other hand, male mosquitoes do not drink blood as they do not produce eggs. Male mosquitoes do not bite humans or any other organism for blood intake. They lack the mouthparts required to penetrate through human or animal skin in order to suck up blood.Even though male and female mosquitoes have different mouthparts and in actuality only one requires blood and the other does not, they have one thing similar and that is that they both consume nectar and other sugars from plants. By and large, mosquitoes feed on human blood and blood from mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. Having said that, there are some species of mosquitoes that prefer feeding only from a particular type of animal and do not seek and feed on human blood.However, mosquitoes come to know about the nearby existence of food sources through various factors such as smell, movement, and the source’s carbon dioxide emissions. On average, a human being’s exhalation rate of carbon dioxide is more than other animals and this alerts female mosquitoes, making humans an easy target. The human body consists of odor-producing chemicals as well which triggers these female pests even more to attack.There are few ways that can help in order to control mosquitoes and make your home mosquito-free. Make sure you maintain cleanliness in and around your house so that there is no mosquito infestation. If you want a mosquito-free home, ensure that they do not enter your home. Shut all the windows and doors so that they do not enter and annoy you. An easy way to keep away mosquitoes is to keep a mosquito repellant at home. You can also apply mosquito repellant creams to ward off mosquitoes and their bites. There are some indoor mosquito repellent plants that can control mosquitoes at home. These plants will not only ward off and control mosquitoes but will also control other pest infestations. Avoid still and standing water as mosquitoes breed near these types of water bodies. Seek pest control services regularly to avoid mosquito or any other pest infestations.What do mosquito larvae eat?Mosquitoes, especially, require food when they are in their larval stage. This is when they have hatched from the eggs in the water before growing into adult mosquitoes.Mosquito larvae primarily feed on microorganisms and plant matter in wet areas. They feed on algae, bacteria, fungus, and plant materials in standing and stagnant waterlog. They filter these organic matter from water with the help of brush-like structures present around their mouth. Some mosquito larvae also feed on other small insects and tiny mosquito larvae.Do mosquitoes drink water? Just like any other living creature, mosquitoes have a requirement of water for their survival, especially in the early stages of their life cycle when they are larvae. They get water from the food source that they consume.Mosquito larvae obtain hydration and other nutrients from the organisms found in stagnant and standing to waterlog. As the larvae grow to maturity and turn into mature mosquitoes, they require less water. However, mosquitoes satiate their water intake from the liquids and fluids obtained from plants, flowers, and fruits. They often drink honeydew, dewdrops, and raindrops to quench their thirst. Female mosquitoes also get water from the blood they feed on.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do mosquitoes eat, then why not take a look at what do insects eat or mosquitoes facts.
Mosquitoes are small flying insects within the family Culicidae notorious for itchy bites, sucking blood, and spreading diseases.
