How Can Mosquitoes Drink Blood?
WouterBesides being blood-suckers, mosquitoes can be attracted by warm skin, as well as pheromones. They also prefer plants with high water content, bright flowers, and mint. In addition, some mosquitoes will nibble on reptiles and other animals.
Female mosquitoes will consume five millionths of a liter of blood in a single meal. They also secrete enzymes into the gut to break down the proteins in the blood. The enzymes are packaged into vesicles and then released into the gut. This process poses a huge metabolic challenge for the female.
In order for a mosquito to be able to digest blood, the vesicles need to be thin enough to penetrate the mouth part of the insect. A fake membrane can be used in place of the real thing.
A study in the 1970s found that mosquitoes prefer to feed on individuals with blood type O. They would not ingest blood from people with blood type A or B.
Mosquitoes can also sense the blood type antigens in saliva and tears. Once they have had enough, they release chemicals. These chemicals inhibit the ability of the insect to further ingest the blood.
A few mosquito species only need carbohydrates to produce eggs. However, other species, such as the Asian tiger mosquito, require blood. They can survive without a blood-rich diet, but they will not lay eggs unless they get the necessary nutrients from a blood source.
Mosquitoes have stomach-like organs in their abdomen called crops. These organs contain nerve endings that signal the brain when the crop is full. They also serve as stretch receptors to prevent further ingestion.
