Five mosquito myths

We learned a lot about mosquitoes in childhood, as almost any of us has come across these blood -sucking insects from these blood -sucking insects. We decided to check how true some of the common statements about mosquitoes are.

It is often difficult to track where there are errors about such a domestic phenomenon as mosquitoes. Many of them can Take it in the category of folk wisdom or "grandmother's Soviets", transmitted from mouth to mouth. The common myths about these insects are even more than a better root in the mass consciousness through mentions in Blogs, jokes or comic songs. Some roam from generation to generation as children's horror stories in the summer camp, while others are like Medical recommendations.

Myth No. 1. Big mosquitoes - malaria

Giant mosquitoes are Mosquitoes-longs, or Karamors. They are not bloodsuckers and feed on nectar or do not eat at all, using the supply of substances accumulated during the larval stage. For people, these insects do not pose any danger. The only harm that long -term can do is the damage to agriculture, Caught their larvae.

But the real ones Malarial mosquitoes (genus Anopheles) In size and color, they do not differ from the usual mosquitoes-scripts (genus Culex). There is only a difference in the proportions of the body of malaria mosquitoes: their rear pair of legs is longer than the front (unlike Piskunovwho have all legs about the same length). In laboratory conditions, this feature is easy to notice. But in the wild, an ordinary person is unlikely to determine the family of a mosquito in the eye.

Myth No. 2. Mosquitoes fly to light

According to the common one opinion, if in the dark, leave the window with an open window when turned on, then mosquitoes will fly. In fact, butterflies and moths fly into the light, which are just attracted by light. But mosquitoes are indifferent to the light, other factors attract them to potential production. The study of American entomologists showedthat mosquitoes fly on carbon dioxide, exhaled by a person or animal, thermal radiation and substances contained in sweat.

During the experiment, scientists analyzed the composition of substances contained in human sweat. Among hundreds of discovered substances, four components predominated: 6-methyl-6-gepten-2-OH, Nonanal, deanal and geranilaceton. Then the scientists appreciated the insect reaction to each of these substances. The experiment showed that Nonanal caused the most active reaction, it was he who “sent a message” to Komaru about the presence of food.

Myth No. 3. The use of a gin with a tonic scares away mosquitoes

The key tonic component - quinine, which was previously received from the bark of the HIND wood, and now they are synthesized chemically. The effectiveness of quinin in the prevention and treatment of malaria led to the appearance of a myth that the jin tonic cocktail scares mosquitoes, which are carriers of this infection. Actually mosquitoes smell of quinin Does not scare away, and blood with the quinine contained in it does not become less “tasty” for insects. The effectiveness of quinin against malaria is explained by the fact that in large concentrations it capable To kill malaria parasites when they have already entered the human body.

At the same time, Gene Tonic can hardly be equated with medicine against malaria. In a tonic that has survived to this day, the concentration of quinine is significantly reducedTherefore, in order to achieve the former antimalarial effect, the patient would have to drink tens of liters of tonic per day. Jin also does not scare away mosquitoes. On the contrary, the presence of alcohol in the blood does A person is more attractive to mosquitoes. At least, it is known that people who drink beer in nature are more interested in mosquitoes than nonsense.

Myth No. 4. Mosquitoes feed mainly with human blood

As the main source of mosquito energy Use Carbohydrates obtained from nectars, falls and juices of sugar plants. Females drink blood only some species mosquitoes - and only to lay eggs, for the ripening of which protein is needed. Blood does not have to be human - most mosquitoes are suitable for mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds. Eat Types Mosquitoes that do not bite people at all, but feed exclusively with the blood of other animals, such as livestock, birds or frogs.

Again, we are talking only about females. The oral apparatus of males is not intended for piercing the skin and access to blood vessels, but is suitable only for collecting nectars. Moreover, blood for males is destructive. When in laboratory conditions of males Feed Blood, their life expectancy was reduced from a month to several days.

Myth No. 5. Having bitten a person, a mosquito dies

Usually the female seeks to suck a complete portion of blood in one bite, but if she was interfered, she takes off and after some time bites again. Such a series can Read Up to 15 bites, until the female brain receives a saturation signal. It is also possible that the blood of some people is not so easily liquefied by an anticoagulant contained in the saliva of a mosquito, so the mosquito has to make more attempts to get food. Another cause of multiple bites may be that a mosquito sometimes cannot find a suitable blood vessel on the surface of the skin the first time. Also some research It is shown that the female is usually forced to bite several times, if either she or the victim is a carrier of pathogenic organisms, such as malarial parasites. This is due to the fact that in the process of infecting a healthy organism by a carrier (mosquito by a person or person with a mosquito), chemical processes that slow down blood absorption include.

Fed with blood, mosquito female Resting Two or three days to digest protein and let the eggs mature. Then she lays from 50 to 200 eggs in the water and leaves for the next victim to get a new dose of protein and postpone the next batch. At favorable conditions An insect can make a masonry with an interval of two to three days. This will continue until the death of the individual. In the laboratory conditions of the female mosquitoes They can live up to a month and a half, and in nature-one or two weeks. Males are half as much. Thus, during her life, the female mosquito can bite up to 10-12 victims.

Treatment

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Is it true that HIV can be transmitted with mosquitoes?
2. Is it true that mosquitoes prefer to bite people of a particular blood type?
3. Who do mosquitoes BITE SOME PEOPLE MORE THE OTERS?
4. Mosquito Myths Busted: from Sweet Blood to Schnaps