Why are mosquitoes attracted to water?
368348
Mosquitoes Need Water: All mosquitoes have four stages of development-egg, larva, pupa, and adult-and spend their larval and pupal stages in water. The females of some mosquito species deposit eggs on moist surfaces, such as mud or fallen leaves, that may be near water but dry. Later, rain or high tides reflood these surfaces and stimulate the eggs to hatch into larvae. The females of other species deposit their eggs directly on the surface of still water in such places as ditches, street catch basins, tire tracks, streams that are drying up, and fields or excavations that hold water for some time. This water is often stagnant and close to the home in discarded tires, ornamental pools, unused wading and swimming pools, tin cans, bird baths, plant saucers, and even gutters and flat roofs. The eggs deposited on such waters soon hatch into larvae. In the hot summer months, larvae grow rapidly, become pupae, and emerge one week later as flying adult mosquitoes. A few important spring species have only one generation per year. However, most species have many generations per year, and their rapid increase in numbers becomes a problem
127710
Actually, mosquitoes, as much as I loathe them, serve very much of a purpose. I live in Alaska and, as many of you may know, Alaska is famous for it's salmon. Mosquito larvae make up an extremely large and important part of a young salmon's diet. If mosquito larvae were to disappear from a lack of mosquitoes breeding, many salmon would die. As a result, there would be a shortage of salmon. Bears, eagles, and other animals would die because salmon are a staple of many critters' diets. Also, Alaskan fishing industries would suffer - all because those pesky, buzzing creatures were gone. =) isn't it amazing how everything is connected?
390940
3 every morning work for me.  I actually see the mosquito approach me and fly away!  I used to swell up horribly from them.  I eat bananas, too.
1147490
you are spraying poison on your skin, of course it is not GOOD for you. But you are putting so little on and getting mosquito bites can be much worse because of the viruses they can carry.
997761
I live in Asia, and the TV advertisements teach people to clean and dry out any container holding water at least twice a week. People here are very wary of mosquitoes and the diseases they carry. It's a real problem.\n\nBut, keep thinking ~ you never know what you might invent! You obviously have a creative mind...\n\ngood luck...
672725
The hair or insect changes the shape of the surface tension of the water creating lots of little localised 'lenses' that focus the sunlight to spots on the bottom. If an insect with six legs lands on the water it'll create 6 little distortions or 'lenses', refracting the light into brighter spots and 'messing' up the insect's real shadow. The hair when resting on the surface doesn't touch in all places so again creating localised 'spots'.
1031987
when the mosquito bites, their proboscis (the straw-like feeding device) penetrates the skin up to the subcutaneous layer of the skin beneath the dermis. When this happens, an inflammation occurs. The basophilic and mast cells (type of white blood cell) is stimulated to release HISTAMINE which contracts the smooth muscles. Since WBC uses glucose as source of energy, lactic acid is produced from glucose. Lactic acid plus the contraction of the smooth muscles plus interleukin produced by WBC gives you the ITCHINESS. The increased flow of blood in the area causes REDNESS and increase plasma concentration causes SWELLING. \n\nAnd thats how a mosquito bite itch.
644949
it's becoz some (like maleria for e.g.) can survive in mosquitoes and mosquitoes act as complementary to complete their cycle.\n\nothers (HIV for e.g.)either would not survive in them or meet a dead end..
16918
A mosquito flies an estimated 1 to 1.5 miles per hour. \n\nHere are some other fascinating mosquito facts. You'll notice, that a mosquito can smell you or another host from 20 to 35 meters away. So if you run fast enough to put more than that distance between you and the mosquito, then hopefully it will lose your signal and give up the chase!\n\nQ: How many species of mosquitoes are there? \nA: About 2,700.\n\nQ: And how many are resistant to at least one insecticide? \nA: More than 50.\n\nQ: What does a mosquito weigh? \nA: About 2 to 2.5 milligrams (for an Aedes aegypti).\n\nQ: How much blood does a female mosquito drink per, er, serving? \nA: About 5-millionths of a liter (for an Aedes aegypti).\n\nQ: How do mosquitoes find new hosts? \nA: By sight (they observe movement); by detecting infra-red radiation emitted by warm bodies; and by chemical signals (mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid, among other chemicals).\n\nQ: How fast can a mosquito fly? \nA: An estimated 1 to 1.5 miles per hour.\n\nQ: How far away can a mosquito smell you or another host? \nA: 20 to 35 meters.\n\nQ: Why does a film of oil on water kill mosquito larvae? \nA: Because the oil clogs up the snorkel that the larvae use to breathe.\n\nQ: When do mosquitoes feed? \nA: Day-time. Night-time. And all times in-between. Truthfully, some species prefer different times of day or night. This behavior may have evolved to match the host's behavior.
274693
they smell it, blood gives of a metalic scent and some other scents too, how do scents travel through that much water the water that quickly?\nThat's the real question
1052143
Mosquitoes do not actually “bite” humans; they “feed” on them. Female mosquitoes require protein to produce their eggs and obtain this protein from the blood of humans and other animals.  Only the females feed.  I think they're also attracted to scents that some humans emit.  I also heard once that they don't bother people who are tanned near as much as a non tanned person.  I'm not sure how true that is if at all.
867604
People arent really sure if mosquitoes are attracted to light but one source says mosquitoes actually veer away from the light source at the last minute. To the mosquitoe, the area just outside of the light appears darker. Moths, being nocturnal, head towards the dark patch, which is always just around the light. Confusing aint it?
193662
To reduce the risk of diseases carried by mosquitos including Malaria and West Nile virus among others.\n\nAlso to avoid the hassle and irritation of the bites.
629482
first of all its not possible 4 all the insects to walk on water.and spider has an  SPECIAL SECRETION THAT ACTS AS AN GUM ON THE WALL and AS AN AIR BOBBLE ON WATER SO THAT IT CAN WALK ON ONLY UNSHAKENED SMOOTH SURFACE OF WATER.
138108
Yes.  Haven't you noticed there are less flies in winter?  Mosquitoes lava needs water to develop so you get tons of mozzies after a good rain.  Bettles live in the ground until summer brings them up to the surface.  Its all about the seasons, insect life cycles and food availability.\n\nGood luck with you assignment.
272942
Yes, the mosquitoes do make a noise but it does not come from the mouth or any part on its face. The mosquitoe makes this noise from the fast flapping of its wings, causing them to vibrate, that equals making the buzzing sound that you may hear around a fly.
1011917
The itchiness is not caused directly by the mosquito's bite or the chemicals in the mosquito spit but by the body's immune response to them. Your immune system releases histamine, a protein involved in many allergic reactions, in order to fight off a foreign substance. The histamine causes swelling around the puncture wound as blood rushes to the affected area, and as a side effect makes you itch. \n\nWho knew?\nI prefer to squish them before they get a chance to bite me!