THE MOSQUITO

in #steemiteducation7 years ago

The mosquito gets its name from the Spanish and Portuguese word for little fly. Mosquitoes go through four stages in their life cycle: egg, larvae, pupae, and adult or imago. Females lay their eggs in standing water, which can be a salt-marsh, a lake, a puddle, a natural reservoir on a plant, or an artificial water container such as a plastic bucket.

The Mosquito or Little Fly


Image credit
The first three stages are aquatic and last five to fourteen days:

  • eggs hatch to become larvae
  • then pupae
  • the adult mosquito emerges from the pupae as it floats on the water surface
  • adults live for 4 - 8 weeks

Lifecycle of The Mosquito


Image credit

Mosquitoes have mouthparts that are adapted for piercing the skin of plants and animals. Males typically feed on nectar and plant juices, the female needs protein to produce eggs and she has to obtain nutrients from a 'blood meal' before she can produce eggs.


Image credit

There are about 3,500 species of mosquitoes found throughout the world, in some species of mosquitoes, the female feed on humans, and are therefore carriers for a number of infectious diseases affecting millions of people per year. More deaths are associated with mosquitoes than any other animal. They can carry a number of deadly diseases, which include yellow fever, encephalitis, dengue fever, including malaria.The carry heartworm which can be fatal to your dog. Some scientists believe that eradicating the mosquitoes would not have serious consequences for any ecosystems.


Image credit

please follow me @frieda

Sort:  

I never knew all these before,thank you

Thank you for your comment!

I hate those insect... And they are abundant here in Africa, especially in my room. I wish there could be technology that changes their craving to human blood limiting them to bloods of cattle in the field.

They say you must drink gin and tonic water then they won't suck your blood. They are a pest! Thank you for your reply!

Ahh! I hate these little buggers. They seem to always fine a way to ruin all of my fun experiences. ...

Fishing- mosquitos
Camping- mosquitos
Out side BBQ - mosquitos
Everything-MOSQUITOS!!!

They sneak up on you and before you know it the little female fly flies off with your blood to produce more of those nasty blood-suckers!!! Thank you for your comment.

informative and funny. thanks

The little irritating buggers! Thank you for your reply.

Malaria is the serious problem for African countries hope one day the measure will be taken to reduce this thanks for great education.

Over 30 people died of malaria in South Africa alone last year. Thank you for your reply.

hate those insect... Thanks your post

Only one of them can prevent you from sleeping. I've learned they don't like wind and air cons! Thank you for your reply.

I never knew mosquitoes get it name from Spanish and Portuguese. And some of the information. Hate them seriously, won't allow person to sell if I am hearing their noise.

I think we should blame the Spanish and Portuguese for not killing them all when they name them in the first place! They should have called it 'little irritating fly'

Useless creatures that we could live without. I do like your article. Thank you.