Why Do Mosquitoes Drink Blood?

mosquito sitting on a skin and drinking blood

While the concept of blood-sucking vampires in folklore is fascinating, it is important to note that real vampires don’t exist unless we are talking about mosquitoes. If you’ve ever wondered why mosquitoes drink blood, this article has the answers you’ll want to know. 

Why Do Mosquitoes Drink Blood?

Mosquitoes drinking blood
Photo Credit: 15308757 / Canva Pro / License

Female mosquitoes drink blood to acquire the essential nutrients needed to produce eggs. A blood meal contains vital components like amino acids, proteins, and iron, which play a significant role in egg development and producing viable offspring. 

It’s a common misconception that all mosquitoes bite and drink our blood, but it’s not the males who treat your arms and legs like a buffet. Female mosquitoes consume human or animal blood and nectar; male mosquitoes feed only on nectar and other sugary liquids. 

Note: Make sure your dog is protected from mosquitoes with the best mosquito repellents for dogs. Mosquitoes can transmit heartworms to our canine companions.

How Do Mosquitoes Suck Blood?

Both female and male mosquitoes have a mouth part called a proboscis. This feeding mechanism encompasses a sophisticated system of six slender needle-like mouth parts scientists call stylets. 

Through the coordinated action of these “stylets,” female mosquitoes can pierce the skin, locate blood vessels, and extract blood relatively easily. The female proboscis is the equivalent of a human phlebotomist. 

Note: The male’s proboscis isn’t strong enough to pierce the skin, which works well because males don’t feed on blood but choose nectar-producing plants.

How To Keep Mosquitoes Away

While we can’t control our carbon dioxide emissions when we exhale or the lactic acid from our sweat (both attract mosquitoes to us), we can control how to repel, deter, and kill them. By using these tips, you can prevent mosquito bites and avoid the diseases they carry:

Repel and Deter Mosquitoes

yellow colored candles of citronella for mosquitoes
Citronella Mosquito Candles
Photo Credit: Imáges de Ana Belen / Canva Pro / License
  • Apply a mosquito repellant with DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) to keep mosquitoes at bay. This popular and effective mosquito repellent ingredient is available in sprays, lotions, towelettes, and roll-ons.
  • Wear loose, light-colored clothing constructed of tightly woven fabrics. Mosquitoes prefer darker colors.
  • Light citronella candles to repel mosquitoes and discourage them from coming close. They can’t stand the smell! To help deter mosquitoes from larger areas, mosquito repellent devices are preferable to candles.
  • Get rid of standing water in your yard and inside your home: Dump water from containers like flowerpot saucers and kiddie pools. Remove water from tarps, and check your gutters for damp leaves to deter mosquitoes.
  • Avoid wearing perfumes or scented products outside. You don’t want to give them any reasons to want to hang around. 

Kill Mosquitoes

  • Use mosquito dunks (Bti) to kill mosquito larvae in birdbaths and ornamental fountains. Simply drop the Bti discs into the water. The mosquito larvae will munch on the lethal snack and die. 
  • Apply adulticides: The best mosquito yard sprays kill adult mosquitoes and keep them away for a few weeks up to a few months.

Note: Mosquito dunks (Bti) are safe for humans, pets, and birds.

FAQ

How Does a Female Mosquito’s Blood Meal Compare to a Human Meal?

Roger Miesfeld, a professor at the University of Arizona’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, says, “During a blood meal, a female mosquito ingests its body weight in blood. It’s the equivalent of a 125-pound human consuming a 12-gallon smoothie made from 25 pounds of hamburger meat plus a half pound of butter and two tablespoons of sugar.”

What if Mosquitoes Went Extinct?

If mosquitoes went extinct, their absence would change our world’s ecosystem. This potential change would create a food shortage for those animals that eat mosquitoes, including mosquitofish, dragonflies, frogs, ants, spiders, geckos, and bats.

Not all mosquitoes are bad because not every mosquito spreads germs, so keeping the good ones around helps our planet. For example, male mosquitoes don’t want our blood; they prefer flower nectar from plants and help plants breed by pollinating. 

Note: Scientists are working on ways to keep the good mosquitoes and kill the ones that carry mosquito-borne diseases that harm us and our pets.

How Many Mosquitoes are in the US?

According to the CDC, over 200 mosquito species exist in the continental United States and its territories. Among the 200 species, approximately 12 types are vectors of diseases like dengue fever, Zika, malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever, chikungunya, and encephalitis. 

Here are three species of mosquitoes that put us at risk and a few of the diseases they carry:

Aedes aegypti: Zika, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever
Culex sp.: West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis
Anopheles mosquito: Malaria

Call In The Pros 

Would you rather have someone else deal with the little vampires? Pest Gnome connects you to the best pest control experts in your area. Knowing the “mosquito vampire hunters” are on patrol and enforcing your mosquito control program, you’ll feel confident moving forward. You can then enjoy your yard and not worry about being the airborne blood-sucker’s next blood meal.

Main Image Credit: Nataba / Canva Pro / License

Harley Grandone

Harley Grandone, a writer and landscape designer, enjoys writing blogs. After 20+ years of being a landscape designer for major residential home builders like Toll Brothers, she’s delighted to combine her love of writing with her love of the industry. When not writing, she can be found in the backyard trying to devise new ways to control mosquitoes and prevent the sycamore tree's bark from clogging up the gutters.