Do Mosquitoes Drink Blood?
WouterDespite the reputation of mosquitoes as blood-suckers, they don’t need to be. Their main source of nourishment is sugary sap. However, they must consume sufficient biological material before laying eggs. This includes human blood, which is the building material of the mosquito offspring. They also feed on nectar, which can provide the mosquito with the nutritional requirements needed to survive.
During the breeding season, the female mosquito uses the blood to feed her offspring and to produce enough protein to lay eggs. She also takes the blood of other animals, such as humans and birds. This blood is rich in iron, which gives it a metallic taste. Its lipids are also important.
A female mosquito can lay around 100 eggs in her lifetime. She may also bite humans and lay eggs on their blood. If she cannot find blood, she will “eat” her own body. She will then lay eggs in a pool of stagnant water.
If she has a bite, she will secrete saliva to keep her skin irritated and to stop the blood clotting. This causes swelling and discomfort. It will also prevent the mosquito from clotting.
Some mosquitoes live in half-flooded basements of houses. They are also attracted to people who sweat a lot. Other species prefer to eat blood from amphibians and freshwater fish.
If you are living in a tropical climate, you may have a blood-sucking tropical mosquito. Several species of frogs and snakes are part of the food pyramid of mosquitoes.
