The Pesty Mosquito There are more than 3,500 species of the mosquito and they have been

around for over 30 million years. The word mosquito derives from the Spanish and Portugues e word for little fly. They are comparable to crane flies and chironomid flies. Mosquitoes are a member of the Culicidae family, which means midge or gnat. Both males and females feed on nectar and plant juices, but in some species, the female needs to feed on humans, because she needs the nutrients protein and iro n to help her produce eggs. The females feeding on humans is the reason for nume rous contagious illnesses that affects millions of humans each year. The adult female lays her eggs in standing water. This could be a lake, bucket o f water, a puddle, and in some cases, a few droplets on a plant. The mosquito is a holometabolous insect. This means that it will go through four phases which are outlined here: The first stage is the larvae. This is the recently hatched phase of various ins ects that differ considerably from the adult. The next stage is known as the pupa. This is a non-feeding time that takes place between the larvae and the adult phases. The pupa floats on the water and the adult mosquito will emerge from the pupa at this time. The adult mosquito lives between four and eight weeks. The mosquito has three senses. They are chemical, visual, and heat. There are c ertain items that draw a mosquito to a human. Carbon dioxide and lactic acid appeal to a mosquito. These are found in warm blo oded mammals and birds. Normal breathing puts out these types of gases. Some swe at will also put off these gases. Garments that contrast with the backdrop will interest a mosquito also. Heat is easily detected by a mosquito. Mosquitoes can be discovered in a cool spot during the day when it is hot. If th ey are disturbed, they will bite during this time. They are more lively whilst i t is cooler. Mosquitoes are known to infect humans with numerous kinds of illnesses. They car ry viruses and parasites from human to human. Some common viral illnesses are ma laria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and Chikungunya. It is estimated that more than two million people die from these diseases every year. It has been discovered that most of these illnesses are carried by elderly emales. There are numerous products on the market to help avoid mosquito bites and chanc ing getting a deadly disease. Lots of these products contain DEET. It is highly recommended. DEET can also be applied full strength, but 20-50% is normally powe rful enough. Some of the trademark name insect repellents are: Off, Cutter, White Mountain, a nd Repel. There are also candles, wipes, nets, traps, and foggers obtainable on the market. There are also organic repellents on the market. You can also make y our own repellent. Smoke from campfires and mud or clay assists keep mosquitoes from biting. Some h f

erbs, such as Rosemary, will also keep mosquitoes at bay. Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on several topics, but is currentl y concerned with finding a <a href="http://gettingridofmosquitobites.com/home-re medy-for-mosquito-bites.html">home remedy for mosquito bites</a>. If you want to know more, please go to our web site at <a href="http://gettingridofmosquitobi tes.com">Getting Rid of Mosquito Bites</a>.