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Mosquito
Myths and Facts
Myth: Both male and female mosquitoes bite.
Fact: Only the female mosquito bites. She uses the protein from
the blood she takes to develop her eggs. The male mosquito feeds
on nectar from flowers.
Myth: All mosquitoes carry diseases.
Fact: Only fresh water species of mosquitoes pose a potential health
risk to humans in Collier County.
Myth: The mosquito dies after she takes a blood meal.
Fact: Mosquitos are capable of biting more than once. After the
female mosquito takes a blood meal she completes the development
of her eggs and may deposit up to 200 eggs. She may then seek another
blood meal.
Myth: Mosquitoes are capable of transmitting AIDS.
Fact: No. There is no scientific evidence to support the theory
that mosquitoes can transmit AIDS.
Myth: Only the female mosquito makes a buzzing sound.
Fact: The buzzing sound that you hear is made by the beating of
the mosquitoes wings. The wings of both males and females make a
buzzing sound. Females make a higher pitched sound than males. Most
people never hear the male mosquito because it doesn't bite.
Myth: Bats and Purple Martins are very effective at controlling
mosquito populations.
Fact: Bats and Purple Martins are indiscriminate feeders and will
eat any sort of insect that flies by. They don't concentrate on
mosquitoes and very rarely have any substantial effect on mosquito
populations.
Myth: Bug zappers effectively control mosquitoes.
Fact: Bug zappers kill many kinds of insects, including moths and
beetles. Mosquitoes make up a very small percentage of the insects
that are killed by bug zappers. Bug zappers do more harm than good.
Source:
Collier Mosquito Control District
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