Natural Mosquito Repellants: The Anatomy Of A Mosquito
March 29th, 2010 Posted in Mosquitoes & Repellent
We’ve all either been bitten by a mosquito or seen a mosquito in our life time, but have you ever examined one up close and personal?
The mosquito’s body is a unique feature of the natural world. Learning about the various aspects of a mosquito’s body can help further your understanding of them as an insect and a pest.
The Thorax
The thorax of the mosquito is the main part of the mosquito’s body and is what holds the rest of the mosquito together. The thorax connects the head with the pair of wings and the mosquito’s six legs. Inside the thorax the mosquitoes minuscule organs thrive together to keep the mosquito alive. The mosquito’s stomach and lungs are located in the mosquitoes abdomen, not in its thorax. Within the mosquito’s thorax anticoagulant’s are produced to be used in its proboscis (stinger).
The Proboscis
Probably one of the most important aspects of a mosquitoes anatomy is its proboscis. The proboscis is basically the stinger of the mosquito. Connected to the front of the head of the mosquito, it is the apparatus that helps the mosquito suck a person’s blood.
It injects an anticoagulant into the blood before sucking it from your body. An anticoagulant prevents your blood from clotting and therefore, becomes easier for the mosquito to ingest. It is long and sharp, altered throughout evolution to be the perfect tool for sucking the blood of unsuspecting victims.
The Legs
The mosquito has six legs, which are all capable of latching onto a person’s skin. This is helpful for the mosquito because it will not fall off your body as easily if they get jerked or moved by your body’s movements. The legs have microscopic hairs that latch onto the animal or person’s skin they are sucking blood from.
These miraculous mosquito legs also allow the mosquito walk on water better than most insects designed to stride on water. The little hairs on their legs also allow them to cling to walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. This also allows them to sit and wait for incoming victims.
The Wings
A mosquito has two wings, capable of taking the mosquito wherever it needs to go to feed on blood. These wings are paper thin and are covered completely with small scales. These scales are located along the veins and edges of a mosquito wing.
These wings have advanced abilities developed throughout the mosquito’s evolution. These wings help eliminate drag and improve the efficiency of the mosquito’s flight. The most interesting fact about the mosquito’s wings is that they beat up to 600 times per second, which is what produces any noise you sometimes hear of their flight around your ears or face.
Using Repellants For Control
Regardless of the evolutionary anatomy that nature has bestowed upon the mosquito; they can still be a huge pest. One way of safely dealing with these pests is using EcoSMART’s organic insect repellent.
These all natural insect repellent’s are engineered to only target receptors found in mosquitoes and other insects, repelling them away from your home and family. These products are made from all natural ingredients, making them safe for your family and pets.
