What do mosquitoes do

Is that true? Why would she do that? Think of it more as a survival tactic than a brutal ritual, says Craig Saffoe, curator of Great Cats areas at the National Zoo. A lioness will feed her offspring milk unless she physically stops producing it, which might happen due to low food and water resources and could lead the cubs to perish. If the cubs are old enough to eat solids, they usually eat with the rest of the pride, but have to eat last and are usually the first to die off if resources are low.

Grown adults generally eat first; that enables them to breed again as soon as resources return to normal. Q: What was the origin of ZIP codes? When a mosquito bites you, it inserts the tip of its mouthparts into your skin and injects a small amount of its saliva into your bloodstream. This helps keep your blood flowing as the mosquito feeds. Some specific groups of people may experience a more serious reaction to mosquito bites, with symptoms such as low-grade fever, larger areas of redness or swelling, and hives.

This is always a medical emergency and can include symptoms like hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the throat. Here are some suggestions:. Most mosquito bites should go away in a few days. See your doctor if a bite looks infected or if you have other symptoms associated with the bite, such as fever, aches and pains, or headache.

While mosquito bites are mostly just annoying, they can sometimes spread disease. If you feel like mosquitoes bite you more often than other people, you may be onto something! Several specific factors can attract mosquitoes, including the carbon dioxide you exhale, your body odor, and your body temperature.

A combination of these factors likely makes certain people more attractive to mosquitoes. Research on this topic is ongoing. When mosquitos feed on your blood, your skin reacts with round, itchy red bumps. Learn how to stop the bites from itching.

Most commercial bug repellents can cause health and environmental problems. Learn about natural repellents that actually work.

It can be hard to figure out how to prevent mosquito bites, but it doesn't have to be. From DEET and biopesticides, to treated fabric and yard…. Skeeter syndrome is another name for a mosquito bite allergy. Nearly everyone is sensitive to mosquito bites, but the reaction can be serious for….

While bedbug and mosquito bites may appear similar, there are ways to tell the difference between the two. Here's what you need to know. Most mosquito bites lead to a puffy, itchy bump.

However, in some cases, they can turn into blisters. Here's why and how you can treat it. Homemade or DIY bug sprays are a popular alternative to synthetic bug repellents. You can use natural ingredients to make bug sprays for your home…. Find out what quinine is, why it's used in tonic water, and whether or not it's safe to drink.

The bears eat seals, and the seals, in turn, eat Arctic cod. The cod eat zooplankton, which eat ice algae. But today, climate change is causing sea ice to melt, which could cause a sharp drop in ice algae populations, a downturn that could effect the entire food chain, according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. If the ice algae population falls, the zooplankton lose a critical food source, which ripples up the food chain all the way to the polar bear.

So next time you curse a mosquito bite and wish for the pesky insects to be eradicated, think not just of the mosquito. Think of all the plant and animal species — both the beloved and the maligned — that create intricate webs of wildlife, with all the species dependent on one another for our planet to survive and thrive.

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Let technology enhance your outdoor adventures with these apps recommended by Forest Preserve District interpretive naturalists. Read More. The Citizen The Weekly Five. The Buzz. A World Without Mosquitoes? Photo via Shutterstock As unassuming as it may be, the mosquito is the most deadly animal in the world, killing hundreds of thousands of people and making millions more sick each year, according to the U.

What's The Difference: Biodegradable Vs. Make sure you do your homework.