The heat and humidity of summer create ideal breeding conditions for the buzzing pests. At the moment, a new generation of mosquitoes grows every ten to twelve days. But even if our attackers are in the majority, we cannot speak of a mosquito plague. But one thing is certain that the mosquito world is after us around the clock. But Why do mosquitoes usually bite in the evening?
The insects lie in wait for us in some places, especially in the evening. The bloodsuckers are divided into diurnal on the one hand and nocturnal on the other. Basically, mosquitoes attack us whenever they are active. Indeed, a piercing and annoying alarm blows when the mosquito is nearby.
Diurnal mosquitoes are the flood mosquitoes that colonize wetlands, floodplains, and lakes. In the twilight and darkness, however, it is mainly the so-called house mosquitoes that hunt us down. They prefer to live in the area of human settlements and hide during the day. Otherwise, they would get too hot in the course of a summer’s day. At dusk, the house mosquitoes start to feel hungry. While the males’ menu includes vegetable juices, the females crave something else like a juicy blood meal. The females need protein for the eggs.
And How Do Mosquitoes Find Their Victims?
But the mosquito has to find its prey first. How is she able to do that? It is not light that attracts mosquitoes into our apartments in the evening. Nocturnal mosquitoes avoid the light. Our vapors, our sweat, and the CO2 that we exhale are what attract mosquitoes. And the animals can perceive even the smallest amounts of it.
Once the mosquito has found its victim, it starts the attack. Finally, she sinks her trunk up to halfway into the skin of the blood donor. The chances of piercing a capillary in this way are good, After that, it’s time to suck the blood for two to three minutes. At the same time, the mosquito injects saliva. This mainly inhibits blood clotting and makes the blood flow more easily into the proboscis.
The histamine contained in the saliva is very likely to make the victim aware of the bite after a few minutes at the latest, through itching. Anyone who kills a mosquito while biting risks increasing the itching. This is because a larger amount of saliva may be injected through the blow.
Even if mosquitoes annoy us and often cause sleepless nights, the insect group plays an important role in the ecosystem. Mosquitoes and their larvae are important prey for other animals. Spiders, fish, amphibians, dragonflies, bats, and birds all depend on mosquitoes. In addition, the larvae filter the water in which they develop.
Also Read: Why do Mosquitoes Bite certain People more often?
To protect yourself from bloodthirsty insects, long clothes and mosquito nets are the best. Since mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in stagnant water and they can be so small, it is advisable to close rain barrels and, for example, regularly change the water in flower vases. Experts advise against insecticides. The side effects of the poisons are riskier than the mosquito bites themselves. Also, there are of course many means of applying to the skin. Applied completely, they spoil the mosquito’s appetite.