FACT ABOUT MOSQUITOES & DISEASES CAUSED BY THEM

Mosquitoes or mossy as they are irritatingly called are real pests. They are such a nuisance in our lives causing so many problems although they are so tiny. So even before we go into the issues let’s try and understand some facts about them.     

FACT ABOUT MOSQUITOES & DISEASES CAUSED BY THEM  

• There are more than 3000 species of mosquitoes. Guess it couldn’t get better. One by itself is pesky imagine meeting the different family members.
• A mosquito weighs only 2.5 mg.
• Mosquitoes fly at the speed of 1 to 1.5 mph. While this looks fast in the insect world they are comparatively slower than the others in the insect family.
• A mosquito beats its wings 300-600 times per second and this causes the buzzing sound we hear.
• If u can believe it mosquitoes have 47 teeth.
• A lot of people think that mosquitoes drink blood. But in fact they are wrong. These pesky creatures drink nectar from flowers. It is the female mosquito which drinks blood because it needs the blood which provides protein for its eggs.
• The mosquito bite isn’t the cause for the itches on our skin. It is the saliva that causes it.
• Mosquitoes need water to breed. Any water source like rain water puddles, stagnant water in homes, water left in open tubs, water in the flowerpots are all excellent sources for breeding.
• The mosquitoes do not have a good vision and can smell exhaled carbon dioxide and body odors of humans from up to 75 feet away and this is what enables it to locate the victims.
• Mosquitoes do not victimize only humans. Some species specialize in animals. So I guess even animals aren’t   spared.
• The airline industry sprays its airplanes to eliminate any mosquitoes that hitched a ride on the planes, especially those coming from countries with outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases.
• Mosquitoes can live anywhere from 3 days to 5 months. However, even within two weeks, females may lay their eggs 4 or 5 times.
• These creatures can fly in all directions meaning they can fly backwards, sideways and upside down.
• About sixty mosquito species help spread diseases than can be very harmful. These diseases include malaria, heartworm, yellow fever, filaria and other diseases. They will bite an infected person and then transmit the disease to a non-infected person.
• Yellow fever is caused by mosquitoes in jungle areas in parts of Africa and South America.
• In Srilanka the prevalence of dengue is a cause for worry, there has been a rise in infected people. Dengue fever is a disease caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes.
• A sad but shocking truth is that mosquito borne diseases are prevalent in more than 100 countries, infecting 300-500 million people and causing about 1 million deaths every year.

There are few simple rules we can follow to prevent mosquito attacks

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  Keep your home and surroundings clean
• Dress to protect
• Avoid strong fragrances
• Clean up after eating and cooking
• Use wire mesh and screens on doors and windows
• Bring out the nets
• Use Mosquito Repellent Bands by Moscut                                                                                      

Article Complied by 

Danusha Chandrasekaran

Lead Copywriter – The Creative Factory  

Source taken from internet