Mosquitoes

A most unwelcome group of summer insect are mosquitoes. Even reading the word may cause a sudden urge to scratch. Some facts you may or may not have known about these species:

• Only the females bite.
• The males eat nectar and other plant juices.
• Before a "skeeter" can siphon up blood she must first dilute it with her saliva.
• This saliva is what causes the bite to itch.
• Most bites are harmless and only annoying; however, mosquitoes can transmit diseases.

Mosquitoes are active mainly at night and during dawn and dusk. During the day they often roost in shady sheltered places. Today's insert photo shows a female laying eggs and is courtesy of the Center for Disease Control.

Read WPC's President Larry Schweiger essay on the West Nile Virus.

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