Mosquitoes - Characteristics

Mosquitoes have two pairs of
wings, but their second pair of
wings are reduced to short,
peg-like structures called
halteres. Mosquitoes have thin,
long bodies and three pairs of
extremely long legs. They have
scales along the veins of their
wings and long beak-like, sharp
sucking mouth parts called a
proboscis. These two features
distinguish mosquitoes from
other flies. Mosquitoes also
have feathery or hairy
antennae.
Female mosquitos are ready to
mate within a few hours after
reaching their adult stage, and
males are usually ready within
24 hours. Mating typically
occurs while the mosquitoes
are in flight, but sometimes it
occurs on the ground. The tone
of the female wing beat attracts
males, and they grab the females with their hind legs.
Mating among mosquitoes is related to their swarming
habits, which in some species, but not all, is the
preliminary behavior to mating. Swarming usually
occurs around sunset and near fences or other objects
and can last from 10-30 minutes.
Mosquitoes feed on sweet nectar , fruit, and other
sugary substances. The females of some mosquito
species also feed on blood , which they need in order for
their ovaries to mature and for their eggs to develop.
The female blood meal can take place before or after she
has mated. Female mosquitoes detect their blood hosts
partly through the sense of smell and partly by sight.
The distance over which a mosquito can detect a blood
host can range from 20-90 ft (6-27 m). Research indicates
that mosquitoes are attracted to hosts already under
attack by other mosquitoes. Some adult male humans
are more desirable to them than women or children.
Human beings are not the only blood hosts that
mosquitoes attack. This "vampire" of the insect world is
known to feed on mammals, birds , lizards, fish , bats,
and even caterpillars for its blood meal.