Mosquitoes

     Mosquitoes are common, flying insects that live in most parts of the world and there are over 3,500 types of them; over 200 types live in the United States and US territories. 

     Of those 200 only about 12 types spread germs (viruses and parasites)bthat can make people and animals sick. The others are just a nuisance and in general they do not spread germs. Of course, there's no way of knowing which is which, so it's important to protect yourself from mosquito bites. 

     West Nile virus is one of the most common mosquito-borne diseases in the continental United States. Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus outbreaks have occurred in US states and territories thanks to mosquitoes. 

     Malaria was common in the United States into the 20th century and most of the continental United States has the mosquito that can spread malaria. Local US mosquito-borne spread has resulted in more than 150 locally acquired cases, but most cases of malaria are reported annually in the United States occur in returned travelers. 

     For a mosquito to get infected with a germ and then spread that germ to people or animals it takes a blood meal from a person or animal and if the blood contains a germ, it then gets passed on. 

     But, mosquitoes do not transmit all kinds of germs, only those that can grow in its body. The germs eventually end up in the mosquitoes salivary which is injected when it bites. This process takes 2-3 weeks. Ability of a mosquito to spread germs depends on the type of germ, environmental conditions, temperature, the amount of germs it ingests and mosquito's age. 

     Most types of mosquitoes in the United States are just a nuisance and they can become a problem immediately following heavy rains, or hurricanes or floods. In fact, after those events the large numbers of mosquitoes can affect recovery efforts. All mosquitoes like water because mosquito larvae and pupae live in the water with little or no flow. 

     Surprisingly, not all mosquitoes bite people or animals. When mosquitoes bite people, the most common reactions are itching and swelling. Adult mosquitoes live indoors and outdoors and they live for about 2 to 4 weeks depending on the species, humidity, temperature, and other factors. Female mosquitoes often live longer than male mosquitoes. 

     If you get bitten, it was a female. Only female mosquitoes bite because they need protein from blood for the development of their eggs. What do males mosquitoes eat? They feed only on plant juices, such as nectar, to get the sugar they need for energy and survival. 

     Some mosquitoes like living near people, while others prefer forests, marshes, or tall grasses, but as mentioned, hey all like water, but different types of water attract different types of mosquitoes! Some tend to lay their eggs in permanent to semi-permanent bodies of water, some like clean water and others like nutrient-rich waters. Some lay eggs near the edges of lakes and ponds or among plants in swamps and marshes or in containers that hold water. 

     Then there are floodwater mosquitoes; they lay their eggs in moist soil or in containers above the water line. The eggs dry out, then hatch when rain floods the soil or container. Places they lay eggs include pools and ponds created by melting snow or rain. irrigated fields, containers holding water after rain and tree holes that collect rainwater. 

     In the United States there are actually mosquito control professionals who monitor and collect them and then report data to Center for Disease Control.    

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