Mosquitoes belong to that category of living beings about which everyone knows that exist, but few people really want to learn more about them. Unless it is part of their job, or they have had a terribly bad experience with them. Yes, they can transmit deadly viruses, and this is of common knowledge, but how many people do they actually manage to kill? And how many are there on our planet? And why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?
Well, once you start realizing their overall presence and importance, you may actually find out what a huge difference these tiny pests make to our world. So, let us answer some of the strangest questions about them and really get to know them.
Fact 1: Mosquitoes are the Deadliest Animals in the World
Yes, you read it right. With their super-small size and with more than 4,000 different species worldwide, these flying insects can transmit deadly viruses and diseases through their saliva. These are many and can include awful conditions ranging from malaria and Zika virus to dengue fever and the West Nile virus.
According to CNET, mosquitoes manage to transmit mosquito-borne diseases to around 700 million people around the planet each year, which results in more than a million deaths. Quite remarkable and terrifying at the same time, right?
Fact 2: Why are There No Mosquitoes at Disney World?
After learning those terrible statistics from fact number one, it comes as no surprise that some people and businesses will do everything in their power in order to keep the mosquito presence at lowest rates possible. If you have ever been to one of the most magical venues of the world, you have probably not even noticed that you managed to enjoy a full day outdoors with no mosquitoes biting you. Even with all that water surfaces around the resort. So, what is their secret?
Apart from regularly spraying highly efficient insecticides all over the resort, Disney World uses chickens and traps in order to constantly monitor the mosquito population and react promptly when needed. How? Well, let us start with chickens.
There are several coops with these non-flying birds all over the place, and their blood is regularly examined for viruses and parasites. Chicken cannot get affected from mosquito-borne diseases, but they help a lot in knowing if any is present around Disney World. Additionally, traps help in controlling different mosquito species. Using carbon dioxide to attract them, mosquitoes are later trapped which allows for professionals to examine them later.
All in all, we can conclude that Disney World does an amazing job in keeping the most popular entertainment place safe both for adults and their kids. With targeted traps and with constant monitoring of the situation, they are able of reacting specifically towards those species which are mostly present, as well as to target the most affected areas of the resort. Well done, Disney World!
Fact 3: Mosquitoes can Remember their Hosts and Target Accordingly
You are probably already aware of the fact that mosquitoes prefer biting some people when compared to others. And there are many factors which influence such their decision, ranging anywhere from blood type to body temperature. But did you know that they can actually remember who is ˝sweeter˝ and to specifically target such person again during their next blood-drawing adventure?
Modern research has proven that, even though these insects feature super-small brains, they are actually capable of learning. What happens here is basically mosquitoes associating chemical scents to a specific pleasure or danger.
For instance, if your blood works greatly for mosquitoes, they will remember you after your first encounter and will return to your body again when they get a chanclarve to. On the other side, if they try feeding on you but you respond with swaps, they may associate you with a deadly threat and avoid you for a while. Therefore, next time you find yourself around mosquitoes, do not hesitate to swap as much as you can- it may actually become helpful.
Fact 4: Female Mosquitoes Bite & Male Mosquitoes Dance
When it comes to mosquitoes, females may be considered as the real bosses, while males are more fragile and fun. But is that not true in any relationship?
Whenever you see a mosquito buzzing around your head, you may be almost sure that it is a female. Indeed, only they need to suck blood in order to lay healthy eggs and survive. On the other hand, males do not, and they feed exclusively on nectar from flowers as well as on fruits.
However, they dance. When the weather gets warmer and the breeding season begins, male mosquitoes will gather all together and start dancing in their own special way. This helps them in releasing a smelly cloud of pheromones, which can be sensed by females from quite far away. Ultimately, ladies cannot resist to such smell and the breeding games begin soon after the dance.
Fact 5: Mosquitoes Sucked Blood from Dinosaurs
Scientists cannot really agree on mosquitoes being existent either from the Triassic or from the Jurassic period, but one fact is certain: they are certainly as old as dinosaurs. That leads to the conclusion that they have been probably sucking blood even from dinosaurs. Moreover, there are specific mosquito species which today affect reptiles only, so some believe this is an old preference which stayed embedded into their memory.
Wrapping Up
After going through our brief list of the coolest facts about mosquitoes, we can probably conclude a few things now.
First of all, mosquitoes are one of the oldest living beings on the planet. This certainly makes them extremely adaptable, resistant, and smart. Yes, even with their tiny size. And, as a consequence, they can be dangerous. Moreover, they are considered as the deadliest animal species in the world, so this is certainly a huge accomplishment for such a minute creature.
Luckily, there are safe places around the world which make us run away from mosquitoes at least for a while, and some of them are extremely fun, too.
