Mosquitoes are the flying pests that we are all more than aware of.  However, there’s a significant difference between male and female mosquitoes that factors into the role mosquitoes play in our lives.  The truth is that male mosquitoes aren’t out for blood, but rather it’s the female mosquitoes that leave us with itchy red bumps and a frustration of the outdoors.

The reason female mosquitoes are the aggressors are because in order for them to produce eggs and reproduce, they must first stock up on nutrients for which they derive from “blood meals.”  In contrast it is found that male mosquitoes prefer the juices and nectars of plants and their short mouth parts reflect this preference.

 

Where Are You Most Likely to Encounter Mosquitoes?

 

Mosquitoes thrive in higher temperature, and where standing water is also present, so are the mosquitoes.  Classic examples where one would imagine ubiquitous mosquitoes would be:

 

• Deep Woods
• Marshes
• Swamps

 

However, mosquitoes are by no means restricted to these kinds of environments, as standing water combined with warming temperatures provide perfectly appropriate breeding pools.  It’s been observed that most mosquito eggs can survive a full winter only to hatch in the spring.

When considering where you are most likely to encounter mosquitoes, you need only ask yourself two questions:

 

• Is There Standing Water?

• Are There Warm to Hot Temperatures?

 

All activities and behaviors of mosquitoes are directly accelerated as temperatures rise. The common consensus is that mosquitoes exist to breed and repopulate, and all they really need to develop a noticeable presence is standing water.  Within a few weeks, a new generation of mosquitoes can go from an egg to a full-fledged adult that lives on to frustrate our outdoor work and leisure time.

 

How Do Mosquitoes “Bite” People?

 

As mentioned above, male mosquitoes aren’t out for blood and enjoy the nectar of plant life. It is the female mosquitoes that thrive on multiple “blood meals” to develop the eggs of a new generation of mosquitoes.

Female mosquitoes have a unique composition where they have a long needlelike mouth called the ‘proboscis’ which, much like ticks, has two tubes. One is meant to facilitate the flow of blood while the other consumes it.  In the case of the mosquito, instead of an anesthetic solution, an anticoagulant in their saliva is introduced into the wound to keep the flow of blood flowing through its other tube.

The cause of the itchy bump that forms after a mosquito bite is the saliva used to facilitate their blood meal that they leave behind in the wound.  After they’ve left and the foreign substance remains, the human body’s auto-immune system responds to combat the left over mosquito saliva.

 

Why Should I Be Concerned About Mosquitoes?

 

While we can all agree nobody is all that thrilled to receive a mosquito bite and sometimes they simply make conditions literally unbearable, the more destructive side of the mosquito is that they are a notorious spreader of diseases, viruses, and parasites throughout the world.

 

• Zika Virus (Guillain-Barré Syndrome)

• West Nile Virus (Encephalitis)

• Malaria

• Dengue Fever

• Yellow Fever

 

The manner in which mosquitoes become infected with West Nile Virus is through feasting on the blood of infected animals, birds especially.  Once a mosquito has become infected with the virus it has that virus for the duration of its life time as it continues to feast on more blood meals.

Now remember, when a mosquito bites you it does two things:

 

• Injects its saliva (an anticoagulant) to facilitate blood flow until it is full

• Pierce your skin to begin extracting blood

 

The mosquito’s injection of saliva is where the pernicious transmission occurs, and when you become infected. It is possible for a mosquito to be carrying multiple diseases and parasites and can transmit them all in a single bite.

 

How Can I Avoid Mosquito Bites?

 

The most common bug repellant is the spray that utilizes high concentrations of a pesticide called N,N- diethyl-meta-toluamide, more commonly known as “DEET.”  While this can be an effective short-term tool for repelling mosquitoes, we’ve discovered a natural, 100% organic way to keep mosquitoes from getting under your skin.

The Bug Patch supplies a steady flow of Vitamin B1, also commonly known as Thiamin, which makes you undesirable to mosquitoes from head-to-toe.

If you’ve ever wondered why some people just never seem to be bothered by mosquitoes while others just steps away are being eaten alive, the reason is the amount of Vitamin B1 they have coursing through their system.  Simply put, if someone has low levels of Vitamin B, they are a delicious dish and the first choice for mosquitoes.