In “The Art of War,” Sun Tzu wrote, “If you know the enemy… you need not fear the result of a thousand battles.” The general probably wasn’t thinking of mosquitoes when he wrote his influential treatise on military strategy. However, the wisdom still applies: By understanding how mosquitoes function, we are better equipped to fight them.

What Is The Anatomy Of A Mosquito?

A mosquito’s body has three parts – the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. Each segment contains organs that make the species efficient, effective hunters. Some of these organs are found only in female mosquitoes because they carry the burden of laying eggs and hunting.

The Head

Do mosquitoes have brains? Yes, they do! The mosquito’s head contains its sensory organs, including the brain and eyes. It’s also home to the proboscis, the mosquito’s “Swiss army knife” multi-function mouthpart.

Although a mosquito’s brain lacks complexity and is proportionally very small, it’s more than adequate to fulfill its functions: sight, movement, taste, and detecting scent and temperature.

One of the more fascinating processes in the female mosquito’s brain is how it integrates olfactory and visual cues to create a behavioral response. When a female mosquito picks up certain scents, her brain triggers the visual system to seek out shapes that are likely to be potential prey. After identifying a likely blood meal, her brain directs her to track and hone in on it.

Mosquitoes have two compound eyes with photosensitive cells that detect variations in light. Their eyes are covered with “ommatidia,” tiny lenses that function as dozens of individual eyes-within-an-eye.

Arguably the most exciting and complex part of a mosquito is the proboscis, the long, needle-like “straw” through which a female extracts blood while biting a person. The proboscis comprises six individual needles, each of which has a function, whether it is to cut into the prey’s skin or hold tissues apart. At the same time, the mosquito feeds to locate blood vessels underneath the skin, inject saliva and blood-flow enhancing chemicals, or siphon the blood. Unfortunately, it is also the part of the mosquito through which diseases like malaria, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and others are transmitted.

The Thorax

A mosquito’s thorax is where its legs and wings are located. Mosquitoes have six legs, each with tiny claws used for gripping surfaces. Mosquitoes’ wings are large, considering the size of their body. They fly to hunt for food and mates, but strangely, despite the power in their wings, they rarely travel more than a few hundred feet from where they were hatched.

The Abdomen

The mosquito’s long, narrow abdomen is where it takes in air and digests fluids. This section has small openings on either side called “spiracles,” which allow the mosquito to draw in air. It is also where the female mosquito holds blood drawn from her prey. The abdomen usually contains a small amount of water, which is squeezed out as blood comes in. If you watch a mosquito as she feeds, her belly will go from nearly clear to red as it fills with her prey’s blood. The abdomen is also home to a mosquito’s reproductive system.

How Many Hearts Does A Mosquito Have?

Contrary to widespread misinformation, a mosquito has a single heart, but it doesn’t function like a human heart. Like other insects, mosquito hearts have two sections – an abdominal heart and a thoracic aorta. The heart pumps a substance called hemolymph, a compound that functions like our blood. A mosquito’s organs rest in this liquid, and the heart pumps it around the mosquito’s body. The mosquito’s heart reverses direction periodically, sometimes pumping hemolymph toward the front of its body and sometimes toward the rear.

Do Mosquitoes Sleep?

Sometimes it feels like these aggravating predators never sleep, a partly true impression. Mosquitoes don’t sleep in the way that humans understand the process. Instead, they become “inactive,” resting during their off-peak hours when they’re not actively seeking a host on which to feed.

East End Tick Control® Can Eliminate Your Mosquito Problem

You don’t have to fight alone if you are combating mosquitoes at your Long Island home. We can eliminate them and ensure that they do not return. We are proud to note that all our options are family and pet safe. For those living near Southampton, please call (631) 287-9700. If you are closer to East Hampton, please call (631) 324-9700. If you reside near Southold, please call (631) 765-9700. You can always email us as well.

Do mosquitoes frequently bite you? Does it seem like mosquitoes go after you more when you wear perfume? Or other types of fragrance, like scented lotion? Do you imagine it, or does your perfume attract them? Let’s take a look so you can be appropriately prepared for spring and summer outdoor events.
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Not many decades ago, it was commonplace for children to chase the mosquito control truck, running in the street and frolicking in its spray. Those days are long gone, and even though mosquito control products have become safer over the years, we’re all more careful about what we may be breathing in or letting touch our skin.

Mosquito spraying and residential mosquito treatments are critically important for protecting ourselves, our families, and our communities from mosquito-borne diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Zika virus, and West Nile virus. But how safe are the products we use? And how effective are they?

Is Mosquito Spraying Safe For Humans?

Community spraying and home treatments for mosquitoes are regulated by the EPA and deemed safe for humans. Commonly used products have a low toxicity level, and some pest control companies, like East End Tick Control®, go out of their way to ensure the safety of your family, your pets, and the environment.

Still, it is advisable to stay indoors when spraying takes place and to avoid inhaling or having direct contact with any outdoor mosquito treatment. Inhaling large quantities of mosquito products can lead to skin, eye, and throat irritation, nausea, headache, dizziness, and vomiting. Children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues should avoid direct exposure. Fortunately, the ingredients in these products break down in the body, and these rare symptoms typically resolve quickly with no lasting buildup.

After spraying or yard treatment, remain indoors or avoid the area for about 30 minutes; the spray will have settled by that time. As with any pest control treatment, these precautions also apply to your pets. Bring them inside during spraying, and keep them away from sprayed areas for at least a half-hour.

How Effective Is Mosquito Spraying?

Spraying is an essential component of mosquito abatement. To understand the effectiveness of spraying and other treatments, it’s critical to know what they do and don’t accomplish.

Both community spraying and home treatments kill the mosquitoes they touch. These treatments then settle and leave a residue that repels other mosquitoes that would otherwise populate the area. Spray-based treatments are most effective at killing mosquitoes at dawn and dusk when they are most active.

A treatment will temporarily reduce the number of mosquitoes in the area, but it is not a permanent solution. The battle against mosquitoes is an ongoing one, and treatments need to be reapplied on a regular schedule throughout the mosquito season. Some other things you can do to provide a less hospitable environment for mosquitoes are:

• Clear any standing water from your property,
• Keep your yard free of debris that might attract mosquitoes,
• Add mosquito-repelling plants to your landscape,
• Avoid letting mosquito-harboring thatch build up on your lawn,
• Use yellow outdoor LED lighting instead of white light.

How Long Does It Take For Mosquito Treatments To Work?

Both public spraying and home treatments work quickly. Mosquitos should decrease dramatically within 24 hours. Adulticide treatments kill flying mosquitoes immediately and will repel other mosquitoes for at least several weeks. Larvicide treatments kill larvae that hatch from eggs. Larvicides work within 24-48 hours and can last several months or more, depending upon the product and method of application.

East End Tick Control® Eliminates Mosquitoes

Residential treatments are an integral component of overall mosquito abatement. By keeping your yard mosquito-free, you can help prevent the spread of diseases like EEE, Zika virus, and West Nile virus. At East End Tick and Mosquito Control®, we are proud to say that all of our options are family and pet safe. For those residents living near Southampton, please call (631) 287-9700. If you live closer to East Hampton, please call (631) 324-9700. If you reside near Southold, please call (631) 765-9700. You can always email us as well. We look forward to hearing from you.