Mosquitoes

Never underestimate the power of the mosquito. This bothersome insect is not just a nuisance. Because of their direct role in spreading several deadly diseases, the mosquito has notoriously earned the title of the most deadly creature in the world. Malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, Zika virus, and several others are spread by mosquito bites.

The World Health Organization has reported that hundreds of millions of new cases of mosquito-related illnesses occur each year, with a fatality rate in the millions. Malaria is considered endemic in 91 countries.

Although the majority of mosquito-related illnesses occur in tropical and subtropical areas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared mosquito-related illnesses (along with those caused by fleas and ticks) to be on the rise in the United States. In recent years, confirmed cases have tripled in number.

Read more

Ladybugs are strangle little creatures loved by both children and adults for their colorful, cute red bodies topped with black spots.

Unbeknownst to most, there is a plethora of history behind ladybugs and some important facts to know regarding their predatory instincts and diet.

Read more

There are many insects around the world that are feared for several reasons. Mosquitoes however leads the pact with humans trying to find the best method to eradicate them.

As a blood sucking insect, they carry diseases like yellow fever, Zika, malaria, encephalitis, and dengue fever that can maim and kill. In addition to human and animal blood, mosquitoes also like flower nectar.

However, it is only the male mosquitoes that gathers nectar and the female is the skin biting insect. Female mosquitoes have one goal in mind when they bite humans and that is to get protein for their larvae.

If there are no eggs to keep alive and healthy, then a female mosquito is known to also gather nectar.

Read more

As summer approaches, the desire to hang around with the family near bodies of water naturally increases. After all, summer days can be quite hot, and it’s preferable to find fast relief by taking a quick dip in the water. However, these wet areas, especially lakes and ponds, are key locations for mosquitoes to spawn.

If you want to be able to enjoy these areas without the risk of being bitten by a mosquito, then you may want to consider adding in animals that can decrease their population. One such animal you may consider is the frog and its pre-adult form, the tadpole. They can help reduce the chances of becoming infected with illnesses carried by mosquitos.

Among the chief of these is malaria. This disease has plagued humanity for centuries. It’s the result of over one million deaths. At least 300-500 million cases of malaria are still reported every year.

Perhaps the most famous–besides malaria–is West Nile Virus which seems to be becoming more of a threat with each passing year. There are four different variations of West Nile Virus. The one typically referred to as a fever is essentially a flu-like virus that can be treated without too much difficulty.

However, if the potent version of the virus is contracted, it can actually affect the nervous system. This can prove to be lethal.

Read more

For many people, spiders belong on the list of “creatures to avoid.” These secretive, creepy-crawly arachnids seem to lurk in dark places and drop down from out of nowhere, invading our living space. At the sight of a spider, some of us run and hide. Others will sprint for the nearest shoe or tissue.

Although a few species of spiders truly are something to be feared, like black widows and tarantulas, the majority of spiders present no danger to us humans. In fact, without spiders, our world would be completely overrun by insects.

Read more

The deadliest man-killer on earth is not a shark or a snake but the humble mosquito. The females need to feed on blood to help them form their eggs. It’s that bite that can transmit numerous illnesses and parasites to people, their pets and their livestock.

Nature has a way of keeping everything in balance. In order to keep down mosquitoes and their bites, Nature has many critters that prey on mosquitoes, including these five bird species.

Read more

Dragonflies have been eating mosquitoes for at least 100 million years. It was that long ago when scientists believe the first species of mosquitoes evolved and began swarming the planet. However, they were newcomers compared to one of their greatest predators, the dragonfly.

Read more

Standing water, heat, and humidity are just the right ingredients to breed pesky mosquitos. The summertime is just the right time for the mosquitoes to break out of their eggs and start flying around your head, biting you, spreading disease, and cause red, itchy bumps on your skin.

There is nothing worse than mosquitoes being outside whenever you walk out, swarming like they do. However, as soon as they start infiltrating your house, mosquitoes become a much bigger problem.

Is there any way to get rid of a mosquito swarm in your home without running around with a shoe trying to kill them?

Read more

For many homeowners around the globe, we follow a simple rule: if there’s an uninvited insect in our home, we kill it — preferably with the help of someone else. No one wants to touch something gross, right?

Although in some circumstances it is an absolute necessity to get rid of the intruder, some of our creepy-crawly friends can benefit our livelihood.

Read more

Have you ever wondered if alcohol affects other creatures the same way it affects people? Maybe you’ve thought about this quite a bit as you sit on the porch sipping your favorite beer.

When a mosquito bites a drunk person, does the mosquito get drunk as well? Does alcohol affect mosquitos at all? And what about weed—can a mosquito get high by biting someone who is smoking?

If you have thought about these things, you’ll be glad to know you’re not the first who has had crazy thoughts like this. In fact, if you do a quick Google search, you’ll find that people all over internet have been wondering the same thing!

So, is it true? Can mosquitos get drunk or high? Do mosquitos care about beer? Some of the answers may surprise you! Read on the learn more about substances and mosquitos.

Read more