Killer Mosquitoes

I sometime wonder what role the mosquitoes have in the world. They seem to be more of a problem than useful. In fact I can’t think of any meaningful role they play except perhaps may be being food for some other insects. On the other hand the havoc they create is huge compared to their tiny size. It was for this the theme for 2014 World Health Day was “Small bite, big threat,” highlighting the importance of vector-borne diseases of which mosquito is the most important one. The mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world. They kill millions of people every year. In 2015 malaria alone caused 438000 deaths in the world. Some of the popular and notorious mosquitoes that cause diseases and death in man are: Anopheles (causes Malaria), Culex (causes Japanese Encephalitis, Filariasis), Aedes (causes Dengue, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, Filariasis, Zika) and Mansonia (causes Filariasis). 

Now, let us not jump to conclusion and blame the whole population of mosquitoes. Only female species are the ones responsible for transmission of diseases!! It is so because only female species bites human beings for drawing blood. A meal of blood is required by the female species for the developmental process of the eggs. The male species survives on nectars and fruits and they won’t bother us. Mosquitoes actually don’t bite with teeth like other animals or humans do, but with a special structure called as proboscis. They have four cutting edges with which they pierce the tough skin like an injecting needle. In the process of biting their saliva serves as the chemical that prevents the blood from clotting. It is their saliva that produces so much itching/swelling when they bite. This is how they also transmit deadly organisms like parasites, viruses in the blood stream of humans. 

You might also have observed that in the evening time a whole lot of mosquitoes hover over your head or over some animals like cow/buffalo. This is what is called as swarming. This swarming is basically for mating purpose. This swarm is produced by the male species where female species enters for mating.

Who says the sound that the mosquitoes produce is music? To me it is more of an annoying sound that produces immediate hand movement reflex for whatever known purposes. Have you ever wondered how the mosquitoes are able to produce that high pitch sound? Researches have concluded that mosquitoes can flap their wings 200-1000 times per second. It is predominantly the Culex mosquitoes that can flap their wings on an average of 600 times per second which produces that peculiar humming sound when it passes near your ear and get your immediate reaction. It is also said that the sound is so important for the mosquitoes to identify the other partner. The pitch is so unique and specific that if they miss that pitch they will not get their partner. So, sounding correct is important for them.

Mosquitoes can easily find you out even if you are hiding. This is because they have a strong attraction for the odour of carbon dioxide that is released when we breathe out. Perhaps they also have a visual and thermal sense to detect you wherever you are. Mosquitoes are also more attracted towards the people with blood group type O. The principle behind using the mosquito repellents containing ‘DEET’ is to dull the senses of the mosquito so that they don’t smell you and find you.

Oh mosquito so tiny creatures and yet so powerful. The fight against them is so challenging. The best way to protect ourselves from their deadly bite is by preventing them from biting us.