Did you know that blood is not the only thing mosquitoes eat? In fact, all mosquitoes need to include something else in their diet in order to survive. What is this mystery food?
Plant sugar
Yes, mosquitoes actively feed on nectar and other plant-based sugars that are naturally found in foliage and other blooming flowers. Mosquitoes need sugar from plants to survive; These sugars provide energy and sustain mosquitoes throughout their lives!
This is especially true when it comes to male mosquitoes, as their proboscis (the little needle-like part of their body that they use to eat with) is not designed to eat blood. Therefore, male mosquitoes do not bite or suck human blood because they do not need blood. Females, on the other hand, eat blood and if you find one that is looking to make a snack with you, you can be sure it is a female!
So some questions to ask yourself are: if mosquitoes don’t need blood to survive, why are we victims of their thirst for blood? Is there anything I can do to stop these pesky critters from attacking me while setting foot in any outdoor space? And finally, how can I take advantage of the information in this article?
So why do female mosquitoes need blood?
The reason female mosquitoes bite and suck human blood is because they need protein to lay eggs. The nectar of the plant alone cannot provide enough protein for the female mosquito to lay her eggs. So for mosquitoes to continue to support their population, females must take blood from living things! The female will need to eat at least one whole blood meal to lay each batch of eggs, and this can occur up to 5 times during her 14 days of life.
How to avoid mosquito bites?
One of the best ways to reduce the mosquito population in your area is to know the areas of your garden that can be used for breeding. It only takes an inch of standing water for female mosquitoes to lay a full batch of eggs and give life to more bloodsuckers. Another important fact to keep in mind is that mosquitoes do not travel far from their place of birth. So if you allow them to breed in your garden, you will end up having a serious mosquito problem!
If there are no potential breeding grounds in your yard, you can choose from many different types of mosquito repellants, such as DEET spray or natural products like eucalyptus oil. If you don’t like putting repellent on your skin, you can use products that give off the scent, such as citronella candles, tiki torches, and much more.
How does this article benefit me?
Knowing how mosquitoes reproduce and what they eat is key to controlling the overpopulation of these blood-sucking creatures. Simple things you can do to prevent breeding, like keeping your trash can covered or removing old pots that hold water in your garden, will go a long way toward reducing your mosquito population. If you let a single mosquito lay eggs in your garden, there will be the potential for 200 new mosquitoes in just one week.
Knowing your diet can also help you fight this pesky creature; Because we know that all mosquitoes live off plant sugar, new products have been released that mimic the smell of food found in plants, but instead infuse the mosquito with a completely natural and non-toxic ingredient (for us ) which is none other than garlic oil! Garlic oil will kill mosquitoes shortly after they ingest it, which will eventually help reduce the mosquito population in your garden by more than 90%.
So in conclusion, just a little knowledge can go a long way in reducing the mosquito population in your area! So stay informed and use the methods in this article to keep those pesky insects off your skin this season!