What do mosquitoes eat? The short answer:
- Microorganisms and Organic Matter
- Human and Animal Blood
- Nectar and Sugars
Mosquito diet varies on a couple of factors: where they are in their development stage and whether they are male or female.
In this article, we will go over, what, why, and how mosquitoes eat.
Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
Microorganisms and Organic Matter
Mosquito larvae eat organic matter and microorganisms found in water, such as algae, fungi, plankton.
They use their mouth brushes to glide through the water and direct food particles toward their mouth.
One exception to this is a species of mosquito whose larva preys on other mosquito larvae.
Toxorhynchites Rutilus’ larvae prey on disease-carrying mosquitoes that share the same habitat as them.
A single larva can eat up to 5,000 mosquito larvae before it matures and leaves the water.
Human and Animal Blood
Female mosquitoes need to have a blood meal before they can reproduce.
They need protein from blood to create and lay eggs.
Some mosquito species, the female, will not produce eggs until after it has had a blood meal.
Other mosquito species, however, only necessitate a blood meal to lay their eggs.
Other than protein, blood also provide female mosquitoes sugar and lipids for nourishment.
The blood can come from humans and animals alike.
They feed on warm-blooded animals such as birds, ducks, cats, dogs, and raccoons.
However, some prefer to get their blood meal on cold-blooded animals such as snakes, frogs, and lizards.
Some species of mosquitoes also prefer birds to other mammals.
Female mosquitoes find their blood-meal by detecting increased levels of C02 we produce when we exhale.
They can also detect us though chemicals our bodies omit when we sweat such as lactic acid, uric acid, and ammonia.
Once she lands on her potential victim, she looks for the perfect spot to inject her saliva.
The saliva contains an anticoagulant that thins the blood and makes it easier for her to feed.
Mosquito saliva also numbs the skin so the victim would not notice being bitten.
Unfortunately, although their saliva makes their bites painless at first, it is through it that mosquitoes spread diseases.
Once a female has had her blood meal, she flies to a shaded area such as tall grass or tree until she’s ready to lay her eggs, usually between three to five days.
Nectar and Sugars
Both male and female adult mosquitoes feed on the nectar of plants for nourishment.
Male mosquitoes feed solely on nectar, while females feed on both nectar and blood.
That said, research shows that when young female mosquitoes are fed with nectar, they show far less interest in having a blood meal.
To test this, the researchers fed young female mosquitoes with a sugar solution. They then place their hands in the container to see how many of them would be interested.
The researchers found that the young female mosquitoes were not interested in human blood after having a full belly of sugar.
FAQ
Why do Mosquitoes Eat blood?
Female mosquitoes suck blood to reproduce.
Some mosquito species, the female, will not produce eggs until after it has had a blood meal.
Other mosquito species, however, only necessitate a blood meal to lay their eggs.
Blood, whether from humans or animals, contains sugar and lipids that nourishes mosquitoes’ bodies.
More importantly, blood has protein that mosquitoes need to create and lay eggs.
Do Mosquitoes Prefer A Blood Type?
No. While there are claims that mosquitoes prefer Type O blood over A, B, and AB.
The research into the blood preference of mosquitoes is in the early stages and more need to be completed.
Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Pregnant Women?
Yes. Studies show that female mosquitoes are highly attracted to a pregnant woman’s blood.
Research shows that this is not necessarily due to a pregnant women blood.
The reasons is likely due to physiological factors surrounding pregnant women.
First, they tend to exhale at a greater volume releasing more CO2 which mosquitoes are attracted to.
Second, pregnant women produced more heat and released more volatile substances from their skin which made them easier to detect by mosquitoes.
Do mosquitoes eat algae?
Yes. Mosquito larvae feed on microorganisms such as algae and plankton.
While developing underwater, mosquito larvae use their mouth brushes to glide through the water and direct food particles toward their mouth.
Once the mosquito larva reaches the pupation, it stops feeding altogether.
Pupation takes around 2-3 days. Then, the mosquito develops into an adult, and their diet changes to blood and sugar from nectar.
what animals do mosquitoes bite
Mosquitoes feed on the blood of humans and animals alike.
They get their blood meal from warm-blooded animals such as birds, ducks, cats, dogs, and raccoons.
They also feed on cold-blooded animals such as snakes, frogs, and lizards.
Some species of mosquitoes also prefer birds to other mammals, and others prefer cold-blooded animals.
Research has found that the blood of a wide variety of animals is typically found inside mosquitoes.
The type of blood found inside mosquitoes highly depends on the species and region that the mosquitoes live.
do mosquitoes Pollinate
Yes. Mosquitoes around the world pollinate small flowers that live in humid environments.
Both female and male adult mosquitoes feed on nectar to get sugar for nourishment.
As a result, mosquitoes pollinate many of the flowers they visit.
Pollination is one of the most commonly overlooked ecological functions of mosquitoes.
Some mosquito species pollinate specific types of flowers only while others pollinate any flower they visit.