Mosquitoes have been around since the age of reptiles, over 400 million years ago! Mosquitoes co-existence is a major plot of the Jurassic Park movies. If act, without mosquitoes, there wouldn’t be any dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park franchise.
Mosquitoes can be downright dangerous and mosquitoes are considered the deadliest insect on Earth. Mosquito is Spanish for “little fly". Mosquitoes are a group of about 3500 species of small insects that are a type of fly. Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematoceran flies. There are only about 175 species of mosquitoes in the United States. Mosquitoes have been around for a long time, over 200 million years. Female mosquitoes are attracted to our breath and sweat. Only female mosquitoes “bite you” because they need blood to lay their eggs in water or even damp soil. When a female mosquito “bites you”, it is not actually a bite, but it is the female mosquito piercing your skin with a tube-like mouthpart called a proboscis. The female mosquito then injects a saliva into your blood to prevent your blood from clotting and then draws blood from the proboscis. It is her saliva that causes ‘a bump’ on your skin. The female mosquito can draw up to 3 times her weight in blood from you. That would be like a 200 pound person eating a 600 pound meal. A female mosquito could bite you several times until she is full of blood, so there is no limit on the number of mosquito bites one mosquito can inflict on you. Some species of mosquitoes prefer to bite non-humans like frogs and birds. Mosquitoes are aquatic insects. Mosquitoes need water to reproduce. Some mosquitoes only need 1 tablespoon of water to lay their eggs. Mosquitoes spend their first 10 days of life in water. They can lay up to 300 eggs at a time 3 times a year before they die. Mosquitoes prefer warmer weather. As temperatures get cooler, mosquitoes can hibernate. Some species of mosquitoes can survive winter and return the next spring. Mosquitoes do not like direct sunlight, they prefer to stay in shady areas. The average mosquito lives less than 2 months with the female mosquito living about 42-56 days and the male mosquito living about 10 days. Mosquitoes do not only bite humans, they also bite dogs, horses and even frogs and birds. Infected mosquitoes can transmit the deadly disease malaria. Most people would be shocked to learn that the mosquito born illness Malaria kills over one million people a year. Ninety percent of the world’s malaria cases occur in Africa. In July 2023, five people in the United States acquired Malaria. It is not know whether the Anopheles mosquito in the US transmitted the disease or the infected mosquito transmitted the disease outside the US. Some other mosquito-caused diseases found in the United states include: Zika, West Nile virus, dengue, and chikungunya.
Mosquito control controls the population of mosquitoes to reduce their damage to human health, economies, and tourism. Mosquito control is a vital public health practice throughout the world, especially in warmer climates because mosquitoes spread many diseases and can damage economies. Some studies have shown that even with effective mosquito control practices, mosquito damage to economies around the world to be in the billions of dollars.
Adulticiding is the type of mosquito control that Mosquito Mob of Wilmington, Delaware provides. We use a liquid mosquito adulticide that is applied as an ultra-low volume mosquito control spray to control mosquitoes. This type of mosquito control targets adult mosquitoes.
Larviciding is the mosquito control process of trying to control mosquitoes in the water or larvae stage before the larvae hatches into adult mosquitoes. This type of mosquito control is provided by the State of Delaware, in certain wet areas.
Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Delaware:
There are several mosquito-borne diseases that currently pose concern in Delaware: Chikungunya, West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and Canine Heartworm Disease, and a possible newcomer, Zika, for which the state's awareness is growing.
Zika Virus
The Zika virus is mostly spread by an infected mosquito. Prevent Zika by preventing mosquito bites. The virus is a pathogen transmitted by mosquitoes that is now largely threatening Central and South America, the Caribbean islands, and the southeastern U.S. Symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain, headaches, muscle aches and/or conjunctivitis. Rarely fatal, the illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week. What distinguishes the Zika virus from other mosquito-borne illnesses is the effect it seems to have on pregnancy. Zika can spread from a pregnant mother to her baby, and that infection may be linked to birth defects such as microcephaly, which occurs from abnormal brain development.
The mosquito species capable of transmitting this disease are the Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Both species lay their eggs largely in man-made containers, such as tires, buckets, corrugated rain spouts, etc. Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). These mosquitoes bite during the day and night . Traditional mosquito control methods of truck-mounted and aerial sprays are limited in controlling these mosquitoes, since they are often active during daylight hours. Reducing mosquito populations around the home via removal of containers that hold water and thus become prime mosquito habitat is one of the key prevention strategies for preventing mosquito bites and the possible transmission of Zika virus.
Chikungunya Virus
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a pathogen transmitted by mosquitoes that is now threatening the United States. Although rarely fatal, the symptoms include debilitating joint pain and can persist for several weeks. In 2014, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands recorded their first locally-acquired cases. In 2014, only travel-related cases of CHIKV were reported in Delaware. As of Nov. 17, no local or travel-related cases of CHIKV have been reported in Delaware for 2015.
The mosquito species that transmit this disease are the Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Both mosquito species lay their eggs in man-made containers, such as tires and buckets. Traditional mosquito control methods of truck-mounted and aerial sprays are somewhat ineffective in controlling these mosquitoes. More recent mosquito control methods are using back pack sprayers in residential areas. Removal of containers that hold water and yard sanitation are key strategies for preventing Chikungunya.
West Nile Virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes. The most common form of transmission is through the Culex species of mosquito, however, there are many different species of mosquitoes that transmit WNV. While there is a vaccine available for horses, there is no human vaccine for WNV. Pets occasionally get WNV from mosquito bites, but very rarely get sick.
The best way to reduce your risk of WNV is to protect yourself from mosquito bites by having a good mosquito control program in place.
2015 WNV Activity in Delaware: There were five human cases of WNV reported in Delaware in 2015. Eight dead wild birds and 27 sentinel chickens (from 11 different locations throughout the state) were positive for WNV. Protect yourself from mosquito bites and mosquito-borne disease by avoiding mosquito activity when possible, dressing in long sleeves and long pants, and properly applying mosquito repellent.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a mosquito transmitted disease, transmitted to horses, chickens and humans by mosquitoes. Most humans infected from a mosquito show either no or mild symptoms, however, symptoms can start four to 10 days after being bitten by a mosquito with EEE. Like West Nile virus, there is a EEE vaccine available for horses, but not for humans. Fortunately, human cases of EEE in Delaware are rare. The last recorded human case of EEE in Delaware occurred in 1979.
Heartworm Disease
Canine heartworm, a disease fatal to dogs, is circulated within the dog population by mosquitoes. Dog owners are encouraged to protect their pets from mosquitoes and heartworm by administering preventative medications year-round or having a good mosquito control program in place where the dog resides. There is thought to be 70 different species of mosquitoes that can transmit heartworm. Infected mosquitoes transmitting heartworm are present in all 50 states in the US.
Here are some interesting facts about mosquitoes:
- Birds and fish are known to eat both mosquito larvae and adult mosquitoes. Both are considered to be a 'natural form' of mosquito control.
- Dragonfly larvae, known as "nymphs", feed on mosquito larvae and adult dragonflies feed on adult mosquitoes. Some cities in the U.S. release dragonflies in the summer as a natural form of mosquito control.
- Bug zappers are not a very effective form of mosquito control. Some studies have shown that less than one percent of insects caught by bug zappers were mosquitoes.
- The CDC names only 4 chemicals as being effective at repelling mosquitoes: DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus and IR3535.
- Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale, although some mosquitoes do not prefer to bite humans. These mosquitoes prefer to bite birds or amphibians and reptiles.
- Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide from humans from about 100 feet away but certain scents like citronella can make it harder for mosquitoes to detect humans.
- Mosquitoes do not live very long. The average mosquito lives less than two months and the average mosquito only weigh a few milligrams
- Warmer and humid weather makes mosquitoes more active and mosquitoes tend to become less active in cooler weather
- Mosquitoes seem to prefer type 'O' blood as mosquitoes bite humans with this type of blood twice as much as type 'A' blood.
- Sweat seems to attract mosquitoes and as the human skin produces many chemical odors making some smells are very attractive to a mosquito.
- Mosquitoes are attracted to a chemical in your sweat called octanol, so mosquitoes will instantly be attracted to you once you start to sweat.
- A mosquito does have a brain. It is very small as it helps the mosquito detect and bite humans.
- A mosquito does have a heart although it is much different than a human heart. The mosquito heart does not pump blood, it pumps a substance called hemolymph.
- A full moon can increase mosquito activity by 500 percent.
- Mosquitoes tend to fly no higher than around 25 feet but mosquitoes have been found in high altitude mountainous regions.
- Most species of mosquitoes prefer to bite humans, but some species of mosquitoes prefer to bite frogs and birds.
- Mosquitoes have very poor eyesight. Due to a mosquito not being able to see well, they rely on their chemical and thermal receptors.
- Mosquitoes don't have teeth. Mosquitoes have a sharp needle to draw blood from humans and animals.
- Female mosquitoes only need to mate once. Once a female mosquito has mated, it carries around sperm for the rest of her life. The female mosquito will then use that sperm to fertilize eggs in or around water for the rest or her life. Both male and female mosquitoes feed on plant nectar for their energy.
- Mosquitoes beat their wings between 450 and 600 times per second. Male mosquitoes typically beat their wings between 450 and 600 times per second. Female mosquitoes beat their wings up to 1,000 times per second. While this may seem fast, this is actually slow comapared to some other insects.
- Mosquitoes do not prefer direct sunlight, they prefer shady, cool places.
- Different mosquitoes prefer different kinds of water. Some mosquitoes like swamps or ponds. Some mosquitoes prefer salt water, abandoned tires, watering cans, flower pots, trash cans, kids toys, etc.
- Arctic researchers completed a study that showed some humans can receive as many as 9,000 mosquito bites per minute! At this rate, these mosquito bites could cause a human to lose one half of his or her blood supply in approximately 2 hours!
- Some mosquitoes are attracted to biting animals and rarely bite humans.
- Bats eat very few mosquitoes and are not considered a good natural predator for mosquito control.
