Amazing
Mosquito Facts
They are small, annoying, and leave itchy bites all over your arms and legs. While this is a fair description of the mosquito, some interesting facts about the mosquito may surprise you. It’s time for you to get acquainted with the buzzing pest that ruins your summertime activities: 
Mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths than any other living creature. Mosquitoes may
carry any number of deadly diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, encephalitis and
West Nile virus. Mosquitoes also carry heartworm, which can be lethal to your dog. 
A mosquito only weighs 1/25,000 of an ounce. 
There are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes scattered throughout the world. 
All mosquitoes require water to breed. Some species can breed in puddles left after a rainstorm. 
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The average mosquito lifespan is less than two months. Males have the shortest lives, usually 10 days or less, and females can live about six to eight weeks, under ideal conditions. The females lay eggs about every three days during that time. Females of species that hibernate may live up to six months. Only female mosquitoes bite. When biting with their proboscis, they stab two tubes into the skin: one to inject an enzyme that inhibits blood clotting; the other to suck blood into their bodies. They need the blood as a source of protein for their eggs. 
Male mosquitoes survive by sucking on nectar and other plant juices. 
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The main attractor of a mosquito is your rate of carbon dioxide production with every exhale you take. The welt and itching that appears after a mosquito bites you, is an allergic reaction to the mosquito’s saliva. 
Mosquitoes rarely travel farther than 300 feet from their birthplace. 
Lights colors are less attractive to mosquitoes than dark colors; thus, mosquitoes are more likely to choose a victim wearing darker colors. 
Mosquitoes are found all over the world, even in cold places like the Artic. 
Like humans, mosquitoes have food preferences – not all mosquito species bite humans, some prefer birds, horses, frogs or turtles. 
A mosquito’s wings beat 300‐600 times per second. 
Mosquitoes dislike citronella because it irritates their feet. 
Mosquitoes prefer children to adults, and blondes to brunettes. 
Mosquitoes lay up to 300 eggs at a time, fly across 150 miles in their lifetime, range from sea level to altitudes as high as 10,800 feet (3,600 meters) and develop from egg to adulthood in 4 to 7 days. For more information on mosquitoes and mosquito control, contact: Citrus County Mosquito Control 968 N. Lecanto Hwy. Lecanto, FL 34461 Phone: (352) 527‐7478 or visit us at: http://www.citrusmosquito.org/