Among my favorite quotes is the Dalai Lama’s quip, “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” It’s true — just one of the wee things in your tent or bedroom can keep you up for hours. No one likes a whiner.
They’re more than a nuisance, though. Mosquitoes kill over 700,000 people worldwide each year by spreading pathogens. For little guys that sleep 16 to 19 hours a day, they sure wreak a lot of havoc.
And yet, mosquitoes pollinate many crops. Males, which don’t bite, feed on flower nectar at night, pollinating cacao trees (the source of raw cocoa), as well as orchids and innumerable wildflowers. Skeeters provide food for birds, reptiles, amphibians, bats, and carnivorous insects like dragonflies and damselflies.
Of the estimated 200 mosquito species in the U.S., only about 2.5 percent of them can transmit illness. One of our most common mosquito-borne diseases is West Nile virus, occurring throughout the U.S., with greater prevalence in the Midwest. Though human cases of Eastern equine encephalitis are rare, it’s a grave illness with a 30 percent mortality rate. Most cases are clustered in the Gulf states, along the Atlantic coast, and in the Great Lakes region. A related strain of the virus is found west of the Mississippi.
In the continental U.S., locally transmitted cases of mosquito-borne malaria and dengue fever are limited to Texas and Florida. Perhaps not coincidentally, these states each have over 100 species of mosquitoes, the highest number in the country. (Apologies to Texans and Floridians – I’m just the messenger.) At this time, neither yellow fever nor Zika virus has been found in mosquitoes here.
Mosquitoes can also make pets and livestock sick. Equine encephalitis is a threat to horses, killing over 90 percent of infected animals. Horse owners typically get their animals vaccinated (sadly, we don’t yet have a human vaccine), because there’s no treatment. In addition, mosquitoes can transmit heartworms to pets, with dogs being especially vulnerable. Your veterinarian can provide you a once-monthly pill or give your pet an injection that will last several months.
A hearty reception from skeeters when camping or fishing is expected, but some species are now considered domesticated; that is, specially adapted to live among, and feed on, humans. We’re the favored host for mosquitoes in the Anopheles and Aedes genera, a cadre of potential disease-carriers that arrived on slave ships in the late 1700s. They’re so fond of us that most hang around our homes, close to where they hatched in our neighborhoods.
After a blood meal, the female lays 50-200 eggs in water, an act she’ll repeat up to ten times in her six-week average lifespan. Her eggs hatch in 48 hours in warm weather, and her aquatic babies (larvae) swim laps for three or so days before becoming adults. It’s a reproductive rate that puts rats to shame, but we can short-circuit it by removing all standing water.
Mosquitoes don’t need vast swamps to breed like flies, which technically they are. Unless you live in a drought-stricken area, you likely have a mosquito incubator nearby. A quarter-inch of water in a clogged gutter, kiddie pool, flower pot, plastic toy, or jar lid are perfect for breeding. Change out birdbaths and pet bowls daily, and scrub them with soap, as mosquito eggs cling to the sides. Drying doesn’t help: like Twinkies, dried eggs of some species stay good as new for months or years.
Bug zappers are ineffective against mosquitoes, and may actually increase their density in your yard. But keeping tall grass to a minimum will deprive skeeters of daytime shelter.
Mosquitoes find us alluring in odd ways, some of which we can’t change. Body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale bring them on, but it’s a bad idea to stop breathing and go cold. Blood type O is favored by mosquitoes, which makes sense, as it’s the universal donor. Studies also show pregnant women are mosquito magnets. Even if you’re pregnant, breathing well, and have blood type O, don’t fret. There are still ways to stop bites.
Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but it can be next to mosquito-ness as well. Since they’re drawn to human sweat, it makes sense to shower before going outside. But hang on – most kinds of scented soaps and shampoos smell heavenly to skeeters. The one exception is coconut scent, which repels the whiners, so make the switch.
What we eat and drink matters, too. It turns out bananas smell like dinner to mosquitoes, so leave those at home on your next outing. If a beer or cocktail on the deck sounds good, be aware they go bananas over those who’ve consumed at least an ounce of alcohol, biting them more than non-drinkers. And dress for skeeter season: they like dark clothing (ours, to be clear), and find light colors less interesting. Wear long sleeves if possible.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends repellents with either DEET (20 percent or more), picaridin, or something called IR3535 as their active ingredient. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is a proven natural-sourced option. Clothing and gear treated with permethrin will repel mosquitoes as well as ticks, but should never be applied to skin. Please read and follow label instructions carefully!
There are plenty of whiners in the world. Let’s not attract more than necessary.
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Comments
You would think that living in Texas for most of my life would have yielded no new news concerning mosquitos. Just the opposite was the case however. I picked up a half dozen new mosquito facts that I can put to good use. One of those facts that stands out was the mosquitos attraction to bananas. Since bananas are usually packed with picnic foods I’ll be leaving those behind from now on. I was aware that deet was a deterrent but am glad the article pointed that out just the same. Lots of good information here.
Thanks for this informative feature, Paul. Mosquitoes are bad news for sure. I’m glad there are vaccines for animals (such as horses) at risk from these awful pests. Ecologically, I’m sure they’re helping to balance something, but still! Reading this makes me more grateful to only get the wasp stings I get instead.
The odd thing is I’m not always aware of the sting at first. But soon enough the itchy, pink, flat bumps appear and need to be dealt with. August to October seem to be the peak months. My blood type is O, and it’s especially bad on the lower legs, ankles and inner part of the arm and wrists.
What works for me in clearing up wasp bites quickly and prevent further itching is to have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy with a cotton swab, and gently push on it. With some you can squeeze out the clear fluid which means it’ll be gone that much faster. If not, that’s fine. Once dried, apply calamine lotion and let it dry. Doing this once or twice daily should clear it up in 2-3 days. I believe this would work well for mosquito bites too.