Mosquito Feeding Cycles in Palm Harbor |
Mosquitoes are always hungry, and as long as they can fly, they will feed. Mosquitoes tend to be more active at certain times of the year based in the environment. Mosquitoes also tend to feed more often from dusk to dawn, evening hours. There are certain species of mosquitoes that are daytime feeders, you've probably seen those little black ankle bitters attack even in daylight hours. Many of the species carry disease also. Mosquitoes have a constant need to replenish their energy source on an ongoing basis, with the females also needing protein for a reproduction. |
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Male mosquitoes do two things: they eat and they breed. Throughout the adult life of a male mosquito they feed on plant nectar only for energy. The male can determine preferred nectar sources through an ongoing foraging process. The plant nectar is drawn from any flowering plants, shrubs and trees. Once the male mosquito has fed, and begins a continuous search for a suitable female to breed with. The male, locates the female by sound, listening for the high pitch flapping of the wings of the female mosquito. Once located the male will pass on his seed to the female. As you might imagine it takes a lot of energy to catch of flying female mosquito, the male is continuously building energy for this encounter. |
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The female mosquito also needs plant nectar for energy, but that's where the similarity ends to feeding habits being the same as a male mosquito. The female mosquito also needs protein in the reproductive process. The protein that the female mosquito feeds on his the blood of the warm-blooded host. Female mosquitoes are opportunity hunters, and will take a blood meal wherever it's convenient. Most female mosquitoes feed on birds and wild animals in an outdoor setting. Because man and domestic animals also live within the confines of the female mosquitoes feeding range, they to are opportunities for blood meals. Female mosquitoes feed on domestic livestock, pets: birds, dogs, cats and human beings in an urban or suburban environment. Female mosquitoes are attracted to the warm-blooded host by carbon dioxide, odors and visual attractants. |
