A mosquito is an animal that belongs to the group of insects : arthropods whose body is segmented into an abdomen, thorax and head, they have three pairs of legs and a pair of antennae, they have wings and develop through metamorphosis. It is a dipteran since it has a pair of membranous wings and its mouth is prepared to suck the substances with which it feeds.
Among the main characteristics of the mosquito are its thin, elongated legs and the buzzing sound it generates with the movement of its wings. Females, on the other hand, suck the blood of some animals and humans to nourish themselves, generating inflammation with their bite .
It is important to highlight that the metamorphosis of the mosquito is complete: the specimens go through four different stages until they become adults. Since larvae are aquatic, mosquitoes require stagnant water to reproduce.
The mosquito's mouthparts are prepared to pierce the skin of people and various animals. Thanks to this tiny opening, they can suck the blood that provides them with nutrients. In this process they cause skin inflammation that usually causes itching .
Along with flies , mosquitoes are among the most annoying species for humans and other animals, since they approach us insistently and tirelessly, without us being able to do anything with our natural means to prevent or dissuade them. Without using a chemical or an artificial tool, our only way out is to try to crush them.
Depending on the part of the world we live in, as well as the time of year we are in, mosquitoes can occur in different numbers. The worst times are during the heat , since they reproduce very quickly and are accompanied by flies. Then it is advisable to purchase some product to scare them away or kill them.
Among the most common options are lamps that attract and electrocute them, tablet poisons that come with a small electrical device to plug in, and aerosols that scare them away, both those that we apply directly to the skin and those that are sprayed. on the walls.
It should be noted that mosquitoes are vectors of infectious diseases : with their bite, they can transmit dengue , yellow fever and malaria , for example. To avoid epidemics, it is essential to prevent water from stagnating (in outdoor pots and containers, ditches, etc.) so that the larvae do not have the environment they need to develop.
Dengue is a viral infection that has fever as its main symptom, but it also causes headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea. It is not uncommon to confuse this condition with a simple flu, a mistake that can cost us our lives if dengue becomes complicated and causes hemorrhagic fever.
Yellow fever is a tropical virus found especially in South America and Africa. Its severity varies depending on the case; In the worst cases, there may be serious liver problems, including bleeding.
Another deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes is malaria . Among its most common symptoms are chills, high fever and tremors, among others that it also shares with the flu. Normally, it contracts in tropical and subtropical climates.
We should also fear chikungunya , a disease with known outbreaks in Asia, Europe and Africa whose main symptoms are joint pain and fever. As well as others mentioned in this article, many tourists contract it due to lack of information and poor vaccination.