Most people prefer to stay away from mosquitoes and their nasty, itchy bites. Whether the mosquito carries a disease or simply causes the person’s skin to itch, its main purpose in life is to feed on animal and human blood. Although people have good reasons to avoid mosquitoes, a few facts show that mosquitoes are fascinating insects. Here is a list of seven facts about mosquitoes:

1. Male mosquitoes do not suck human blood.

In a world consisting of various mosquito species, it is the female mosquitoes that make humans suffer from their unwanted bites. Female mosquitoes are not able to lay eggs unless they feast on blood. Whether the blood emanates from the body of a dog, cat or human, the red fluid provides a female mosquito with protein. On the other hand, male mosquitoes love drinking the nectar produced by flowers and do not typically suck blood. Another interesting fact is that female mosquitoes do not look for blood unless they are pregnant. When they are not engaged in matters pertaining to fertility, female mosquitoes also drink nectar instead of blood.

2. Mosquitoes live short lives.

In fact, an average mosquito may not even live as long as five months, especially when humans frequently knock them into heavenly bliss while trying to slap them away from their bodies. Since five or six months is not a long time, it is no wonder that female mosquitoes are so desperate to find blood and produce their offspring.

3. Mosquitoes have wings that make loud buzzing sounds.

Tiny wings that beat 300 to 600 times per second cause the familiar buzzing sound associated with mosquitoes. Even so, the phenomenal beat count does not mean they are adept pilots. Plus, the sounds are not melodies. Instead, the speed of the wings in motion enables their bodies to fly.

4. Mosquitoes are not marathon fliers.

Compared with other insects, mosquitoes are not as adept at flying. They fly slower than most other insects in spite of their high number of wing beats per second. An average mosquito’s flight speed does not even equal 2 miles per hour.

5. Mosquitoes cause more deaths than any other animals on the planet.

It is natural to assume that sharks, rabid dogs and poisonous snakes take the lead when considering the number of deaths caused by animals. However, mosquitoes are responsible for the highest number of animal and human deaths. Carrying potentially fatal diseases, mosquitoes inflict these harmful illnesses via their dreaded bites. Mosquitoes pass malaria, yellow fever and encephalitis onto their victims. Mosquitoes also cause heartworm disease in dogs.

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