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Call for questions: MOSQUITOES (Patreon)

Published:
2024-04-25 22:36:05
Imported:
2026-06

Content

It's time to talk skeeters. What questions do you have for our mosquito and medical entomology expert?

Deadline: Tuesday, April 30 at noon PST

 

Comments

Patience P.

How do we not realize mosquitos have bit us until they’re already gone

Mykenzie King

WHY will I get bit 20x and the people around me won’t get bitten once?!? I always joke it’s because I’m a sweetie pie but idk

Sarah F

Are mosquitoes more prone to biting people with O+ blood type?

Adam Weaver

Are mosquito bits/dunks really as effective as people claim they are? Are they truly harmless to everything but mosquitoes?

Tyler J Poeti

Do they really swarm towards people that are “sweeter”?

Sher Kelz

Why do mosquitoes seem to always swarm to one person and not to others?

Kelly Shaver

Are some of us just more tasty or are the people without the big red welts just not reacting to being bit?

Maria Whamond

Why do female mosquitos only mate once? I was learning about sterilising male mosquitos as vector control so was wondering why this is the case!!! FTQA 🩷🩷🦟🦟

Kelly Shaver

Does citronella really work??

Joyclyn Vincent

Is there a humane way to deter mosquitos that actually works?

Carter Benes

How close is a mosquito to the ceiling before it flips over to land?

Maddie Townsend

What would happen if all the mosquitoes in the world died? I would personally not be mad.

MB

How well are the sterile mosquitoes working to reduce population? It just always sounded like a sisyphean effort the way the (non-sterile) ones reproduce. Also, how expensive is it?

Patience P.

Do mosquitos prefer some people over others? What are they drawn to?

Hannah b

Why are they everywhere

Talia Dunyak

Are there any good mosquitos or are they all evil?

Andy McAdams

Is there an ecological benefit to having mosquitos? I’ve always thought they were the only living thing that didn’t bring a positive ecological impact, besides humans that is.

Elizabeth Wegener

Is it true that mosquitos are more attracted to darker colors? If I wear black am I more likely to get bitten?

Patience P.

How far can mosquitos travel?

Matt Ceccato

Where do mosquitoes really, really fall on the food chain?

Lorie B

I heard gingers and fair skinned people are more likely to get bit/ be a target. This fair ginger wants to know.

Melanie Yakemovic 🦄

Most obvious question: why do they SUCK so much? Second question: I know there are some people researching what would happen if we completely extinct-ed mosquitoes… so what WOULD happen? Would it kill the entire food chain? Will bats still have other bugs to eat? How many fewer people will die of malaria (and what kind of overpopulation of humans would that cause?)

Helios

Is it true that North America has native mosquitoes, and that they don't bite humans?

Paige

Are there some species of mosquitoes that are more susceptible to being vectors and if so, why?

Max Bibb

FTQA!! I get RAVAGED by the mozzies when I go abroad to the point where I take them off of other people. Am I just naturally irresistible?

Chelsea

Is it true that there are enough other bugs in all these ecosystems that if we were to eradicate mosquitos, it would have no negative effect on the world? (other than decreasing the amount of human deaths from mosquito-spread illnesses)

Kelly Shaver

Do mosquitoes play an important role in native ecosystems or can we just agree to wipe them off the face of the earth?

Caitlin Hill

ITQA here! Why do my bites stay itchy days after the initial bite? Is it true only female mozzies cause a reaction to skin? Why are these little baddies like this? Do you have good remedies to stop the itch?

Emily Krieger

Do mosquitoes play a helpful role/s in ecosystems? Or do they just suck?

Disco Ru

Why evolve to need blood to help you reproduce, do other insects do that?

Lauren Goudy

Why do mosquitoes love me 😭

Megan Bolton

I heard there was a plan to introduce genetically engineered mosquitoes into the population so they can’t breed. Is that true? Is there an impact from that or are mosquitoes useless (please let them be useless).

Amber McIntyre

Why in God’s name do they exist? What is their purpose on this Earth?!

Oliver

I have heard people say, "you could get rid of all the mosquitos and it would have no negative ecological impact." Is this true? It feels like it can't be true.

Rachael Lemont

Are they really attracted to co2 & if that’s true why do some people get eaten alive & the person next to them doesn’t if they’re all breathing?

Peyton Nill

What would happen the the ecology of an area if mosquitoes disappeared? I have never been able to think of a purpose for their existence when their predators could just feed on other insects.

Lorie B

Recommendations for non toxic/ homemade mosquito repellent for my body and my yard?

Jess Donald

Blood type? C02 emissions? Diet? What’s making me so dang tasty to those skeetos?

Amy

Would the ecosystem collapse without mosquitos? (please say no)

Ellen

WHY WERE THEY INVENTED?

Andrea Levinson

Why do they love me so much??! I go on camping trips, other folks get 1 or 2 bites and I get 40. Also - is there an ecological benefit to having them around? I try and appreciate bugs but I draw the line at these itchy lil nuisances

Natalie Raffeiner

Mosquitos Looooove me. Is there something I can eat or do to change my body chemistry to deter them?

Joyclyn Vincent

I'm almost certain this is flimflam but I was told that, if you notice a mosquito is in the process of snarfing your lifeblood and you hold your breath, that they'll get stuck and won't be able to fly away when you hit them. Hooo boy, even as I type this I know this is a not-smart question.

Ron

Is it true that some people attract more mosquitoes than others? If so, why?

Connie Snow

This is what I want to know. Do they have any redeeming qualities or are they just little assholes?

theo (nastygardenrat)

WHY do they love me sooooo sooooo much but they land on my friend and change their mind and fly away? are they stinky? why am I delicious? first time question asker

Molly Geisler

How can I repel them from my body without harming myself with chemicals or the environment?? 😭

con

Are mosquitoes attracted to different blood types or people with different sugar levels? I typically don’t get bitten, but my friend ALWAYS does a lot- even when we are together.

Darren Bush

To feed bats. I can think of no other good reason. Do they pollinate something?

Taryn Campos

As an O+ person, I need to know the answer to this question!

Yuri

Why do mosquitoes always seem to attack me more than anybody I'm with? The next day I'll have tons of bites and hubby has none! Also what repellent is there that isn't toxic?

Chrysalis Ashton

Ok…but do we REALLY need them? Would whole ecosystems collapse if they just suddenly vanished? I love insects but I just CAN’T with mosquitos.

Darren Bush

Yes. My wife is the target, I am unscathed. What did I do to deserve this?

Serena D'Souza

I'm a first time question asker and I have two: 1) mosquitos don't seem to bite me but they go after my husband, are some people actually more attractive to mosquitos than others? 2) Do you think that the use of GMO mosquitos to control malaria will be something that can be done on a wide scale?

Tea Danilović

After you've been bit, does pushing your nails into the bite actually do anything??? My entire family does the "make an X mark with your nails" thing and it's oddly satisfying but it also seems like it shouldn't work

Tom Boodry

Why are they such dicks?

Dave Langlinais

Why is it that sometimes I get absolutely DESTROYED by mosquitos, but other times they pretty much leave me alone, and it seems to have more to do with the location I'm at, more than any other factor? For reference, I'm blood-type O+, if that has anything to do with it.

Rebekah Wofford

Will you talk about the impact introduced mosquitoes and avian malaria have on birds in Hawai’i? (Also my last name is pronounced like Wofford College in SC)

Virginia Bruce

Why do my mosquito bites get big and swollen and infected? Same thing happens with rose and blackberry thorn pricks.

Aunt Tiffa

Explain “gene drive”, how it applies to mozzies, and its pros and cons (including extinction). Also what plant species they pollinate, since males don’t drink blood and both sexes need nectar to survive.

Felix

are humans around the world doing things that actually increase mosquito populations and/or help them to spread disease? what are those things and how do we start doing things differently?

Nick Holthaus

Wasn’t there an effort to release genetically modified mosquitoes that would create offspring that could not procreate? Did that happen and are there results?

Sydney Toups

I have always been told this, too! Everyone in my family is an O type and we will get so many more bites than anyone else with us.

Megan Morgan

Why do they seem to be more attracted to some people more than others? How many diseases can they transmit to humans? Would global climate change expose people in previously cooler areas to more transmitted diseases as mosquitoes may move further north? Or would mosquitoes in that area just become more prevalent? Is it true that mosquitoes are attracted more to certain blood types? What about the mosquito causes some people to have more severe reactions to mosquito bites? Speaking from a more severe reaction myself What is the most effective natural way to control mosquito populations? Do they have a significant environmental purpose? Why do only the females drink our blood?

Jada Lynn

Why does it feel like they bit me more than the rest of the family when we are all outside? Is it all on my head or do they actually like some people more than others? Follow up question: of they do like certain people, how do I become not one of them?

mish the fish

do mosquitoes get high drinking the blood of someone with drugs/alcohol in their system? does it affect their reproduction?

Brooke Bartholomew

I second this question! Do they perform an ecological service? Do they do anything good? What are they for??

shizzamX

Are they really attracted to certain blood types more than others?

Lizzy Martinez

What's the worst case of a mosquito outbreak and how bad was its impact?

Daniel J McDonald

My reaction to mosquito bites is mild to nonexistent. Is this common to any certain categories of people? I'm allergic to virtually every other substance imaginable, and my siblings swell up like raspberries so this makes no sense to me.

Cheryl W

what's their ecological niche?

theo (nastygardenrat)

also I'm allergic!! and it's been worse as an adult. is this because I get bitten too often and my immune system freaks out more over time? or perhaps because the mosquitos are larger here (the pacific northwest) than they were where I grew up (utah). sometimes the bite swells to the size of a grapefruit. why is god unkind to me in this way

Bridget Wall

Why do some people (ie my husband) seem to get bitten more and have greater reactions to mozzie bites than others? Does consistent long term use of mozzie sprays containing DEET harm you? What about citronella? Why are there no vaccines for things like Ross River fever or dengue? First time question asker! Just moved to Townsville in Queensland and the mozzies are numerous and voracious here! Can’t wait for this ep!

Brooke Bartholomew

Ooh yes why do they like certain people more than others? I'll be sitting next to my husband, both of us covered in bug spray, and they all swarm me and completely ignore him. What!

Taryn Campos

FTQA - how much blood do these things actually suck? Do they tend to have one long draw or bite the same individual multiple times? I swear one mosquito will bite me 3-4 times before I catch it buzzing around.

Megan Morgan

Mine does the same! It was explained to me that the pain of the fingernail distracts from the itch (not sure if that’s a legit thing though)

Valerie Hanley

How did mosquitoes become transmitters of malaria?

Andrea Devlin

What is the lowest temperature that they will be active at? (I hope that makes sense)

Emily Burns

Why do mosquito bites itch so bad and why can’t I stop itching them?

Sleepy Frog Lauren

We had a couple of US acquired cases of dengue fever recently, is this a result of climate change and how worried should we be?

BLAISE HENDERSON

What are the most effective strategies for controlling mosquito populations while minimizing environmental impact and ensuring public health?

Valerie Hanley

Why do mosquitoes dislike citronella?

Dr. Lisa B

How serious of a threat are mosquitoes? I love to hike, but I hate bug spray.

theo (nastygardenrat)

do they know The Mountain Goats song "Tape Travel Is Lonely" which asks, "Mosquitos suck the blood right out of my body. Why don't they finish the job?" this resonates with me.

Emily Burns

Is it true that only female mosquitoes bite?

Cathy

FTQA- how much standing water do they actually need to lay their eggs?

Anna Elizabeth

how catastrophic for the general ecosystem would it actually be if we just got rid of them?

Dave Brewer

When I was a kid I heard that if you flex your muscle while a mosquito is biting you, they will be trapped. And some people have said that they will continue to suck your blood until they explode. I’m 99% sure those are urban legends but I have to know the truth.

Average_pi

My sister is allergic to mosquito bites. How does that work?

Jess R

Would the planet be ok if all mosquitos spontaneously disappeared from it? It was my prepetual wish in ultra humid upstate NY as a kid.

Daniele Bourhis

First time asker, LOOOONG time lurker…. How come sometimes I get big welts from mosquito bites and other times I hardly notice them? Also, please tell me they’re good for something so I don’t keep wishing them all dead.

Patricia Handley

Why do they drink blood as a food source? There are so many more delicious things to eat. (Eliza,age 8)

The Farming Linguist

I almost never get an itch or mark from mosquito bites, but I do see mosquitos bite me - is it possible to be imune against whatever it is the mosquitos sting us with? I promise I am not bragging, just trying to learn! (ps. second time question asker, didn't know I had to say that on my first question, woops!)

Megan Lynch

Given that climate change is expanding some mosquitos' ranges and some of them are vectors for serious diseases, what is the best way to control them while respecting whatever respective places they occupy in the ecological balance?

Riverwood Chicken

Are Mosquito Hawks/Skeeter Eaters/Giant Mosquitos actually mosquitos? What are they and are those also landing on me and drinking my blood? If they’re not mosquitos, why does everyone call them mosquitos?

Sydonie S.

Why do I attract and get attacked by mosquitos and my partner doesn't?

Tea Danilović

Oh wow this is sooo fascinating! You got me curious 🤔

Christen

Can you talk about why people with sickle cell disease may not get sick or less sick if they’re bit by a mosquito with malaria? First time question asker 😊

Brooke Bartholomew

I have so many questions. Not sure if this first one falls under a mosquito question or immunology question, but I react terribly to mosquito bites - even when I don't scratch them, they get very big and inflamed (red, hot, pulsating) and when they go away I'm left with a bruise and then a scar. Weird stuff, but my main question is: do they have some sort of special substance that gets injected when they bite you? Why do they cause such intense reactions sometimes? Is it different depending on the species? (When I lived in Texas I reacted a lot more, but up in Minnesota it's not as bad). Which leads me to another question - how many species of mosquitoes are there? Do they migrate? Are they changing territories because of climate change?

Cate Muenker

Last year I used my seek app because I saw a HUGE mosquito. Turns out it was an elephant mosquito-which I’ve never heard of in Connecticut before, so then I asked a coworker who studies Dengue/Aedes aegypti and she said THEY DON’T BITE!! I need to know more about these gentle giants!

Aunt Tiffa

They are pollinators

Eil Be Gone

Are there any plants that are proven to repel mosquitos? I've read the citronella plant and lavender work, but nothing beats the word of an expert!

Tina Hoang

I have this happen too! In Vietnamese (where my parents were born) they call this "mau ngot" or "sweet blood." I don't think it's true, but my dad always said it was because I was born in Canada, so my blood was like a special flavour!

Scott Sheldon

Climate change…are we expecting diseases to shift more poleward? Could it potentially be too hot or dry in current endemic areas for mosquitos to reproduce successfully?

Travis Justice

What would be the greatest change you personally would make to mosquitos? Make them carry vaccines? Drink more blood? Glitter?

Ma's Nature Walks

Why do some mosquito bites cause a MASSIVE REACTION and others are just meh? Also, does it take a while for kids to build up a sensitivity? When my smol was a baby, she wasn't bothered, but when she hit 1, the itches got itchy.

Elta Sparks

Can you address the myth/fact that they're attracted to different blood types?

Twenty Three Skidoo

I used to be a mosquito magnet. After a summer evening outside or a tropical vacay, I’d end up with head to toe welts. Whereas my husband and son would suffer nary a nibble. However, since I underwent chemotherapy five years ago, the little vampires leave me alone for the most part. Why do mosquitos single out some folks over others?

Faith Novella

OK but seriously why do they seem to love me so much compared to friends, family, etc.?!

Sarah king

WHY?!? I know they are a food source for tons of things, but I just feel like there are so many other things they can eat. What else do they add to our world? I’d love to love them like other bugs and creatures but i just can’t get there with them.

Scott Sheldon

Do you think using Wolbachia as a method of disease reduction will be successful? Where are we at with that research?

Riverwood Chicken

Official petition to engineer mosquitos to carry vaccines ✅

Meg C

I used to be a magnet too!! Since I started some thyroid meds they've ignored me more - it's a blessing but I'd love to know what changed!

Sarah king

How long can they live? And do they just eat blood or other things? What do they do with our blood??

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Do mosquitoes have a favourite blood type to snack on? I’m A+ and I’ve noticed my other friends with type A blood are always the ones getting bitten more often

Katy

For people who seem to get eaten alive by mosquitos, is it that mosquitos are more drawn to them, or that those people have stronger allergic reactions? And if it's that some people are tastier, what factors come into play?

Tristin Berg

With our world warming, I heard that mosquitoes carrying certain diseases are appearing where they had not previously. For example, vets in Washington State are now recommending heartworm prevention for pets because cases are popping up and that’s new for the area. How concerned should we be? Or is it being blown out of proportion?

Terena

I remember reading about that! Would love to know what happened

Kody Murdock

Is there any research being done into using mosquitoes as vectors for boosting immunity for diseases instead of spreading them? Is that even a possibility?

Brittney Corrigan

How do you feel about mosquitos being sterilized to cut down on the spread of disease? Is it true that if we eliminated mosquitos altogether, there would be no detrimental effects on the ecosystem, or are there species who depend on them for a food source?

Jacob Paul

I am wondering if your expert has thoughts on the companies that come spray & kill all the mosquitoes in people’s yards. Just how effective is this, and how many other bugs does this kill in the process?

Bevearlea

How many bats would I need to keep the area around my house free from skeeterbugs? Asking from Northern Canada, where the skeeters are huge!

Jacob Elsbree

Why are they the perfect vehicle for canine heartworm transmission (among other diseases)? It’s it the devil’s preference?

Terena

How do they make that sound? Is it their wings?

Popita

How did mosquitos become a vessel for heart worm in mammals?

Anastasia Press

What are the most effective, ecologically responsible ways to ward off mosquitoes when I'm just trying to enjoy my yard?

Colby Evans

LA Times has an article just today on releasing sterile males…

Nicole D-G

Is it true that mosquitoes have a preference for certain blood types?

Jacob Elsbree

Some places have released genetically modified mosquitos to control numbers, how is this Jurassic park technique going?

Sky Fiolleau

How essential are mosquitos for the environment / would we be better off if they didn't exist?

Nicole D-G

Also, why do mosquito repellents rarely work and what could we use instead?

Jen

Exactly this!

The Farming Linguist

Yeah, I just saw someone else had said they also barely had reactions to bite - even with siblings who really swell up. My dad too gets terrible terrible reactions to bites, so it's wild there can be such differences between people. Hope the ologist will have a great answer for us

Liss Timm

Do dark or light colors make a difference like with ticks?

Nicole Story

I live in an area where this time every year there's planes that spray pesticides over fields and wooded areas to control mosquitos. I can't help but wonder the effect this has on other insects and the consequences it has for the health of the ecosystem and if there's a better way to stop the spread of diseases from mosquitos.

Liss Timm

How far do they travel to feed?

The Farming Linguist

Re: that radiolab episode about the bug bite thing (Our Little Stupid Bodies), does the bug bite thing work - what's this ologist's take?

Megan Lundy

What good do mosquitos bring to the environment/ecology in the world?

Raven Fayette

My smologite asks "Why do they suck........... blood?"

Rebecca Fitzgibbon

First time question asker, I’ve read that bubbles deter mosquitoes. Any truth to that? Would a bubble machine solve my most annoying camping problem? Also, how do I become less delicious?

Jess Donald

I went to a wedding in Winnipeg one spring and was told that mosquitos are their provincial bird. 🫣

Beloved Creature

Is blood the only thing that mosquitos consume? How long can they survive without it?

Jen

I'm a firm believer in real bug repellent like picaridin and deet (though I prefer picaridin). Can you talk about if citronella/eucalyptus/etc actually work or if we should stop waisting money on remedies that are more of a placebo?

shyla bradford

Do they help at all with pollination?

Liss Timm

Is it true that mosquitos are the #1 world wide cause of death due to disease transmission

Nicky G

Mosquitos: WHY?!? Just why. Also, is it true that they do not play an integral role in their ecosystem and could go extinct with no catastrophic impact? Even without the risk of communicable disease, mosquito bites suck... Literally!

Mykenzie King

My grandma calls it sweet blood too!!

shyla bradford

How many animals/ insects eat mosquitoes or larvae and rely on them as a main food source?

Jessie Meeks

I had the same question. They seem to love me, too, but I'm O-. They seem to avoid my mom, who is O+.

Rozelyn Hesby

When I was a kid I saw on Mr Wizard that eating bananas can cause you to be more likely to be bitten by a mosquito. Fact or flim flam?

Sarah Ruiz

I used to work at a summer camp. I sprayed my legs with deet, put leggings on top, then sprayed again and still got bit. WHY??? (I ended up with 27 bites on one leg at one point that summer)

Liss Timm

Why do some people get big bumps and sores and others seem to not be bothered. I am one of the lucky ones who they don't seem to prefer.

Margaret Downs

Another O+ person checking in! My mom and I both are, and we get bitten way more than my dad and my brother who aren't. What's the deal?

Valerie Jaruzel

Is there even one good redeeming quality to these little f€|*{£{‘s or are do they really and truly just exist to menace and spread disease?

shyla bradford

What are some of the best safe ways to keep the lady mosquitoes for having you as a snack?

Shannon Dermody

What’s the status of the Zika virus? There seems to not be as much of a panic in the news about it.

Dave Miller, PhD

are mosquitoes truly the most dangerous animal? ✌🏻♥️🍸

Nicole Story

If mosquitos were totally eradicated, would it have a major effect on the food chain/ecosystem? Considering the mass use of pesticides to curb mosquito populations, could their potential eradication actually help some other insect populations to bounce back and see their numbers incline, since it would reduce the need for such pesticides? (Very concerned about mass insect die off and the effects it has on overall ecosystem health 🙃)

Alli B

Hellooo. First time question asker. Can you tell me why and how they are vectors for parasites in our furry buddies? Can humans also be infected with heartworm via mosquito?

Dinosaurus lex

What diseases are they known to spread, past and present?

Robin C Pike

Why do mosquitoes like biting me more than other people? Why do I swell up a lot and have a major histamine reaction that can only be treated successfully with minor steroids?

Amy Zucker Morgenstern

Is it true that taking megadoses of B vitamins with C will make your skin less palatable to mosquitoes? If so, why, and if not, got any other tricks for us? In summer camp I was told that holding a branch overhead helps draw the mosquitoes away from you, because they go to the highest spot, so you want to make a sort of skeeter lightning rod. But in my experience they tend to attack ankles more than any other body part, even if the ankles are encased in socks. Please clarify. Amy Z M

shyla bradford

Why do mosquitoes seem to prefer some people? Is it in the blood is it a temperature thing? Why do they always bite me??

Bennett Vanderbosch

How did mosquitoes come about? Were they always the pest we see them as today?

Wandering Wyatt

Why are some people (like me) seemingly more attractive to mosquitoes than others? I happen to react significantly too. Which was particularly awful when I did field work in the forest (the only sound was the drone of millions of mosquitoes) - had bites everywhere (cause one has to pee outside).

Glork

In the darkest timeline, could mosquitoes be weaponized as a carrier for genetically modified pathogens or diseases?

Autumn Knol

Hi! Are there any natural remedies that ACTUALLY keep them away? I'm spraying on "OFF Deep woods" and I don't think it's....the best for my health

Glork

If all mosquitoes suddenly disappeared would it result in ecosystem collapse or more of a...bump

Wandering Wyatt

Just a story - hubby worked in Western Siberia and the little f*ckers would try to crawl up under their mosquito nets while they were sleeping. 😳

Jae Steinbacher

Also curious why they bite some people more than others, but I'm curious about it from a hormonal perspective. Anecdotally, I've heard that some people on HRT are less tasty than previously...

BeckytheSassySeagrassScientist

For the love of god, how do I murder them in my back yard?? There are flocks of them. I don't want to hurt other less repugnant buggies

shyla bradford

Yes they need the blood meal to produce their eggs

Eric Masterton

Is it true that if mosquitos went extinct tomorrow, it wouldn’t have a detrimental effect on the ecology where they exist?

mariia k

are they really just everywhere? what is their most common environment?

mariia k

do they live alone in ¿flocks? or families?

mariia k

why do they want our blood and what attracts them to us?

Ann Over

How are mosquitoes impacted by climate change? Is it a good thing or bad thing (for humans and mosquitos)?

BeckytheSassySeagrassScientist

Mosquitos have given me giant awful welts when traveling internationally. Is my puny American constitution just weak in the face of their power? Are there regional toxins in their saliva or what have you?

Helen Langille

Why do they find me so delicious and leave all my friends alone?

Andrew Pedersen

Is it true that some people are more attractive to mosquitos than others? If so, what is it about those folks that the mosquitos are drawn to?

Jon Boyer

Why in the heck do mosquitoes flock to my wife and one of my kids, and not to me (not complaining)?

Karen Yip

What determines that certain mosquito species carry only certain viruses/parasites? Are there any diseases spread by many mosquito species or are they all very species-specific?

Patrick Foye

1) If all the mosquitos died tomorrow, would that contribute to a quicker collapse of the ecosystem or would we be fine? We being all creatures of the Earth 2) is it true or flim-flam that taking vitamin E supplements or garlic can help repel mosquitos? O

Kieran H

What is happening in their little mosquito bodies to make that annoying EEEEEEEEEEEEEE noise?!

Jennifer S Schaffner

What evolutionary trait made them want to bite humans? Do they bite other creatures? Why do I feel as though they seek me out whenever I go outside? 😬

Karen Yip

While we know about many diseases spread to humans and other animals, are there any actual diseases that harm/infect the mosquitoes? Do they get sick from anything whether from the blood they ingest or from other environment sources? I realize they don't individually live very long anyway.

Julie Noble

Child of the 80s/90s here—what’s in Avon’s Skin So Soft that makes people swear by it for repelling mosquitos?

Maddy Otto

The planet is SO big and there are relatively SO few mammals for mosquitos to blood suck. Do we know how many mosquitoes go their whole brief life without sucking any blood?? Do they feed on anything else or just die?? Is that why there are so freakin’ many mosquitoes in the world???

Mallory Avery

Let's say we could just... eliminate mosquitos. Would that be really bad (environmentally, economically, any other way)? [first time question asker!]

Taryn Shaw

Why am I “allergic” (swell profusely) to some species of mosquito, but not others? Mosquito bites affect me less on the west side of my state than one’s I get from the east side.

Julie Noble

Why are they more attracted to some people than others? I’ll be sitting with 6 other people, and no one but me gets bites.

remi

why are they so good at carrying diseases? do animals get stuff like malaria too or are there different diseases that animals get that we don’t?

Mallory Avery

And a question from my husband: "evolutionarily: why?"

Jacintha Jaa

I've been bitten by mosquitos on 3 continents, each variety causes different reactions. Is this due to a chemical in the saliva or some other factor like bacteria each species carries? In your opinion, what would happen if we wiped out all mosquitos on earth? Thanks

Doug Paice

This question from my smologite too

Voxothoth

Are there any possible positives to mosquitos? Like, could we turn them into bug meal like crickets at all?

Karen Yip

What are the best predators of mosquitoes? I have many damsel flies and dragon flies in my yard. We live in an area with many bats - do they actually eat mosquitoes? Who else is eating these buggers?

Katie Murray

Any recommendations for reducing mosquitoes in the backyard without using toxic chemicals and/or spraying sticky repellant on skin every time I go out? Reduce standing water for sure. Any ideas of things they like I could get rid of or things they don’t that I could put in the backyard?

Katie Murray

Yes! Are they squealing? Wings flapping? Constantly farting?

remi

also were there giant mosquitoes in prehistoric times or did the movies i watched as a kid lie to me

Doug Paice

How do we learn to not hate them? (I know they just want the blood meal so they want to lay their eggs, but....)

Jessie Cole

Can you become immune to mosquito bites?

Deacon Raid

Darn. I was really hoping for this topic that Dadward would pick my friend Kelly Zimmerman who hosts the Bugs Need Heroes Podcast and is finishing up her doctorate on them.

Mckaylia Marshall

If all of the mosquitoes on earth spontaneously combusted, would anything bad happen from an ecological standpoint?

Between Dumplings

1) Is it diet and/or blood type and/or ethnicity that makes us more or less tasty? 2) Why are we so resistant to bats to control mosquitos but so ready to shower ourselves and environs with awful chemicals?! (My niece created a PSA and lobbying campaign when she was about 6 y.o. and went door to door to lobby neighbors to resist chemical showers and choose bats. She was SO on point and ahead of her time. ) 3) When I was a child in Indiana, we used to drive out to watch the crop dusters and pull over on the side of the road UNDER THE SPRAYING PLANES #funwhenyouarepoor Sometimes those pilots would do fancy maneuvers for us or wave. We will all die horrible cancerous deaths soon, right?

Koda

Why do mosquitoes seem to like me best when I wear black? I can be with a group of people dressed in light colors and no one but me gets bit. Is it because I am warm seeming absorbing heat? Do they hate goths? Is my blood just smelling better to them and it’s not color related?

Gigi Owen

Where do mosquitoes go during the winter? Do they migrate? Or hibernate? I know they need water to lay their eggs, so I'm imagining the adults have to be out there somewhere!

Mckaylia Marshall

How is their bite mechanism different than other blood sucking insects like ticks? Seems they’re the only ones with a straw face.

J Shay

First time question asker. What purpose do they serve other than spreading thermal illnesses?

Mckaylia Marshall

Flim flam check! Is it true that you can flex your muscles while a mosquito is biting you and make them explode? Is it also true that in order to make the bite itch less, you’re supposed to let them finish their blood meal?

theo (nastygardenrat)

i respect them....we could be friends in another life.....did they not need my blood, or i were not so tasty.............

Amber Dickerson

Why do they love my blood so much? What can I eat to dissuade them? Please help!

MyKel Hall

First-time question asker. Why is it that sometimes I have the worst reaction to getting a mosquito bite (lots of swelling and massive irritation) and other times my body barely registers the bite

theo (nastygardenrat)

i don't care which of these is my first time question i just feel strongly about mosquitos. 😭 tell them, although they study my enemy, i admire their work......

Chaz Moore

Portland didn’t used to have mosquitos (maybe a few here and there) and now I have to actively put on repellent during the summer. What’s going on??? Climate change?

Chaz Moore

Does citronella actually work?

Chloe Morton

Why are mosquitoes such good vectors for diseases?

Domino Cohn

I heard about an idea to release sterile male mosquitoes to breed out mosquitoes in places where they are invasive (like Hawaii where I live!) Is there any traction/credence to this? Or is it folk lore?

Lauren Seibert

Why do mosquitoes go for me the most? I can’t go outside in the summer without having 20+ bites, even with bug spray.

Aileen Lands

This! Mosquitos in my hometown in the Midwest itch for maybe 30 minutes and cause a welt. Mosquitos in SoCal make me feel like my skin is on fire but barely cause any welt!

Guido

Why do they have to drink blood? Can't they get the proteins for their eggs from other sources, like many other insects apparently do?

Greg Walloch

Hold up, is Ologies gonna make me love mosquitoes?

Eric Skaar

First time questioner. Why is it that I'm consistently the one getting eaten alive before others in the crowd? I have skin sensitivities so I try to avoid all perfumes, wear loose fitting and light colored clothing etc. Are there non-toxic repellants that work or is DEET the only truly effective bite prevention?

Drtymgrty

What animal eats the most mosquitos and why do mosquitos love old tires so much?

Aubrey Dunn

Where do they go in the winter?

Kate Arnold

First time question asker! What purpose do mosquitoes serve other than to annoy us and make us soooo itchy and spread disease? If mosquitoes went away, would the entire ecosystem implode?

Peter

Why do they hold their hind legs up when resting? You know when they just sit on the wall and the back legs are in the air and still. Are they sensing things? I have wondered about this for a while.

Carlye Reynolds

First time question asker! Why, why do these little friends love to bite me but not other people? And are there any pet-safe ways to repel them???

Deborah Gray

Why do they seem to prefer to nibble on some people more than others? Does blood type have an impact on if the mosquitos are more apt to bite you or not? How did mosquitoes evolve to consume blood?

Pseudonym Jones IV

What can we anoint ourselves with to keep them at bay? I used to work in a swamp, and I swear by vetivert (the essential oil), but I'm always interested in other options.

Caro Young

I want to like mosquitos. Is it true that they are the sole pollinators of cocoa plants so no mosquitos = no chocolate?

Josh Frye

What do skeeters do for the ecosystem because boy howdy do they seem to just annoy mammals!

Elena

Why do they LOVE me? More than other people. How do you actually stop a bite from itching?

Karisa May

Do mosquitos prefer O+ blood, or is it just me?!

Raja

I get frustrated with cottage neighbours who have a mosquito vaccuum on, even when they're not there. They just leave it running for weeks at a time! I'd love to have good arguments that might resonate with non-ecologically-minded people. Wadda ya got? Please??! Food for bats and dragonflies isn't enough of a motivator to have them turn of dem vaccuums. Raja rhymes with Papaya. 🙂

Elisabeth Westner

Jeez, I sure hope they don't. I effing hate those buggers and don't want to stop.

david faulk

do humans have anything in their blood that harms/defends/repels against mosquitos? or are we just the Krispy Kreme of species, too delicious by far?

Jane Nelson

What is their purpose? Just...why?

river stone

Okay so what about potential flim-flam? I've heard so many things about ways to make skeeter bites less bad since they seem to love me so much and I'm curious if there's any truth to them: - letting them bite you til they're done because then they'll seal you off with a nice lil substance that isn't itchy (???) - instead of slapping them into oblivion on your skin, squeezing the area where they're biting so that they inhale all the blood and explode which somehow leaves you less itchy (???) - eating less sugarrrrr

Paige

First time question asker! Why do they loveeee to nibble on my mom but avoid me like the plague??

Elisabeth Westner

I know this is the number 1 question here and likely the number 1 question you're asked, but here goes: I've heard the reason why mosquitoes like certain ppl so much is that some of us emit a certain chemical that they find quite lovely and are attracted to (and no, it can't just be blood type bc I have a type they aren't generally attracted to). Is this true? But also: how come some of my hiking buddies literally *never* get bitten even though they never wear bug spray and I have to put it on 30 seconds after getting on the trail or else I'm eaten alive??? And the number 2 question: can we just get rid of those fuckers once and for all and would this completely mess up our ecosystem?

david faulk

Do mosquitos ever feed on other insect/non-mammalian species? Or is it just our delicious blood soup that keeps them coming back to the human restaurant?

river stone

I grew up hearing Caddo stories and there's a great one about Witch Woman and the origin of the mosquito but I'd be curious to know if there are other stories, Indigenous, scientific or otherwise, that name the utility and purpose of our lil vampiric pals

WiGeekMom

Are there any creatures that serve no purpose and why are they mosquitoes?

Molly H

How many species of mosquitos are in the continental US?

Erik Pohanka

Does eating banana actually make you more attractive to mosquitoes?

April Carter

I know someone who got a ton of mosquitobites on a camping trip. They went to the doctor with a fever the following Monday and were told they now had an allergy to mosquito bites. Aside from the diseases mosquitos carry, how dangerous is it for us to get a lot of mosquito bites at once?

Molly H

Is it true that only females bite? Are the diseases carried by mosquitos specific to certain species of mosquito? Have mosquito populations declined like those of many other insect species and if so what effect is this having on populations of birds and bats that prey on them?

Jenn Macgillivray

The year my partner moved from the UK to Canada, we went on a hike around PEI and were ravaged by mosquitoes. I had normal bites but his all swelled up to the size of dollar coins! What’s the deal there? Had he just never encountered mosquitos living in the UK and never leaving the city? Was his immune system used to a different strain??

Melissa Wise

And/or what other plants keep them away that I can put in my backyard

Megan Dawe

Why do the bites sometimes swell up to big, especially if I get a lot of bites at once?

Megan Dawe

What creates the buzz/whine noise they make when they fly? Wings? Something else rattling around?

Emmett

Why do mosquitoes like some people’s blood more than others? Is that true or film flam?

Hope

is there any reason we should like them? do they serve any purpose that another bug doesn’t fill?

Paige Menking

Do those mosquito bait traps that went viral last year really work? The idea is to make a nasty bucket of water and leaves and stuff and then put those mosquito dunks in it. Would LOVE IT if it works!!

Katie Moran

Is there a certain blood type(s) they like more than others? Always being bit over here….!

Gwen Kelly

How do they survive winter? Do they hibernate? Do their eggs stay in some kind of stasis? I feel like people say the cold kills them, but then the second it gets a little warm they’re back like spontaneously generating from nothing.

AlexanderVonFritzyBitzAndHisMom

Why do they instantly swarm and bite only half of my family? The dad and one kid aren’t even touched by a mosquito, so they invite the mom and other kid to the campsite saying “There aren’t any mosquitos!” As soon as we show up we are EATEN ALIVE. And why do the bites have veins of puffiness running up our extremities? And why do they itch at first bite, then stop itching, then itch like crazy a week later? I was told not to scratch my chicken pox because I’d get scars, I’m pretty sure I’m totally scarred (both physically and mentally) from scratching the f&*€ing mosquito bites. WHY!?

Lee Wang

I remember reading an article in the NYer about proposals to actually eradicate the malaria-carrying species(es), on the reasoning that they had no natural predators and that the ecosystem could withstand or even benefit from their extinction. Flim flam or no?

gilliansmith

Do you think the U.S. will see an uptick in the probability of mosquitos carrying diseases with a changing climate?

Caitlin Tyndale

I get attacked most out of my family of 5, so I’ve always been told I have “sweet blood.” That’s not actually a thing right?? Why are they attracted to me and no one else I’m related to?

Linda Wenker

Since I moved to the PNW my reaction to mosquito bites has been extreme! Even if I have the will power to leave the bite alone I develop a welt, which weeps puss a couple days after the bite. Why must I suffer so? This also happened to me in Belize with sand flies. What’s the deal?

Joie

Is it true mosquitoes are more attracted to some people than others? I grew up in Wisconsin and in the summer there are so many skeeters - I swear I would be getting chowed so bad I was losing my mind and my friends would be like, "I'm not really getting bit." What's up with that?!

Lily Bee

Is it true that there are mosquitoes that come out during the day vs nighttime ones ? Anecdotally, I work outside and get eaten during the day, but I’ll be outside at night and get ignored while others suffer.

Ashley Adair

Hypothetically, what would happen if all mosquitoes were eliminated from the environment? I wonder the same thing about ticks. I'm guessing there would be catastrophic consequences up the food chain, but it's hard to be a fan of disease-vectoring bugs.

Lily Bee

Also curious about why sometimes I feel the mosquito bite me and it hurts a bit, but other times I don’t..is it kinda like ticks in that some people feel them on their body?

Martha Lowry

Do they really pollinate blueberries? Or is that just a tale we're told to try to get us not to hate them?

Mandy Hobson

Why, oh why do they like me so much??? Is my blood tastier than other people’s?

Melanie Smith

Are mosquitos the most deadly creature in the animal kingdom, volume-wise/in terms of body count?

Martha Lowry

If one is already biting you, is it better to let them finish feasting and fly off, or smack them dead? Will you be itchier if you stop them mid suck? Or does it have no impact

Nicky Jasper

FTQA - why do some of my mosquito bites swell up massively, but some stay relatively small?

Caro Young

Why do they make that sound when flying? Might it not be better to not announce your arrival to your prey?

Patrick Duffy

Why do some people get lots of bites while someone next to them gets none? How many diseases do they transmit? Is there a number? What good do they do? What would happen if we killed them off?

Renee W

What is actually the most effective way to repel mosquitoes? And, what effect do repellants have on mosquitoes?

cash.ruska

Is it true that some people have “sweeter” or more attractive blood than others???

Annabelle

What are the ecological benefits of mosquitoes? How many different species are there?

Nina Eve Z.

Ok, are you super extra sensitive if every time you get a mosquito bite it swells up to the size of your arm? Asking for a … friend…

Zoe

Is it true that people who eat more meat are more attractive to mosquitoes than those who don't? Also adding another request for the question about whether it's a good idea to wipe out mosquitoes entirely and how some of those efforts such as the Wolbachia program are working out?

Nina Eve Z.

Also, if I get a lot of bites why do I get so sleeeeeepy?

James Jakes

Would it really be so bad of all mosquitos went extinct?

Cynthia Cinnabar

Is there any way to tweak your blood chemistry so mosquitoes will find you distasteful (that doesn't involve developing an illness or condition of a type that does so as a side effect/symptom)?

Kathleen Sachs

Why do mosquitos like to bite me, but not my husband?

Kathleen Sachs

What fun mosquito borne illnesses can be transmitted in the United States? Was there really a few cases of malaria in the US? Will diseases like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya become more prevalent in the US with climate change?

Elizabeth Mena

My poor mom is a mosquito magnet and gets these huge red welts when bitten. She once had 110 bites when birdwatching in NC! (She required antibiotics for that one.) Why is she so tasty to mosquitos, and what can she do to dissuade them?

Daniel Osherowitz

Why are some people more attractive to mosquitoes than others? I rarely get bit when everyone around me is eaten alive.

Jadine Lannon

What is the best way to deter mosquitos when I'm sitting outside on a lovely summer night??

Colleen Chick

Bigger risk to my health: long-term effects of using bug spray chemicals on my skin vs. possibly getting a disease from a mosquito? Not sure which is the more disturbing summer paranoia. Detroit area here ✋

winn

I heard that ecologically it would be okay if there were no more mosquitoes/they go extinct. Is that true?

DeWaine Tollefsrud

First time questioner here: I lived for much of my life in the bush if the neo-tropics and Alaska, and now in rural Hawaii so I am well acquainted with the mozzies. But, why are they so hated and feared in areas where there are no severe mosquito borne diseases? I mean, yeah, they whine a little in your tent (I will just go ahead and let them bite me so they won't whine anymore), the females will take a sip of blood, and it might itch a bit, (unless allergic), and yes they are arguably the "deadliest animal on the planet." But maybe I answered my own question. Looking forward to this episode!

Tabitha Dell’Angelo

Is it true that they are attracted to certain blood types. Or, that if you eat bananas they will be more likely to bite?

Tabitha Dell’Angelo

Is it true that only people who are allergic to mosquito bites get a reaction and that others get bit but don’t even know it?

Karen Larson

Mosquitoes: why? What do they do that is good for our planet? How do they fit into the wonderful chain of life? (First time question-asker & huge pod-fan!)

Chelsey Hinrichsen

Aside from to make us miserable, WHY do they exist???

Christine Hurley

First time question asker: omg so many people already asked DO THEY REALLY NEED TO EXIST and as a Mosquito Magnet™️ boy do I feel that question. I want to know: does citronella really repel them? What does? Why can't I put DEET into my blood so they die? Are there any mosquito repellants that don't harm other bugs?

Caroline Chen

I was bitten a lot by mosquitoes during a trip to Italy in June. However, when I returned to the US Midwest, not one pesky American mosquito bit me for the rest of the summer. Are mosquitoes repelled by foreign mosquito bites?!

6-1-49er-Joe

First time question asker here: if mosquitoes did go extinct, would it be possible that certain bat and bird populations would struggle from the removal of a very large (in teeny tiny portions) food source?

Eating dog hair for a living

If it's okay for us to exist without mosquitos, how would we get them on the extinct list?? And how is it that they can carry diseases but, not catch them?

Kai Kishimoto

Does the malaria parasite affect mosquitoes at all? How would the population be affected if we release the genetically modified mosquitoes that are resistant to malaria?

Kiah

100% third these questions. What is their purpose? How did evolution let them happen?

Nick worth

Is it true that mosquitos kill more people than any other creatures due to disease? I heard about CRISPR having the potential to eradicate mosquitos.. what are the risks?

Kiah

I have also heard this and would love to know the answer.

ALopez

How do I make my yard a place they don't want to be? How many different kinds are there? Why are some of them giant?

Erin Nansel

Yeah first question, how dare they? Second question: Do they prefer different blood types? Because they don't really bother me but my mom is swarmed by them and we have different blood types

Iris Hutchings

Yes! This! Also vitamin b... Anecdotal evidence from me turned me from a mosquito magnet into someone they just kinda like if there's no one else around once I started taking vitamin b. Is that a thing? Or did I just get lucky somehow?

C dB

Do they adapt their hunting times and places when barriers appear?

Jennifer Huseman

If I’m not near my husband they bite him but if I’m nearby they only bite me. I’ve had GREAT success with Thermacell products in tropical areas and Northern Minnesota (but I need more than one to set up a perimeter). How do those products work so well?

Jasmine Tsai

First time question asker here! If female mosquitoes are feeding on blood so that they can get protein for egg formation, why can’t we just give them tiny lil protein shakes?!

Doctor (almost!) Elder

Are mosquitoes in different areas more aggressive than others? I swear the mosquitoes in Mexico looked at me like I was an all night buffet, but mosquitoes in LA, though we do have them, don't seem to bother me as much.

PopsicleEmperor

Is there actually a connection between blood types of people and mosquito preferences?

Paulina Tarr

Why do Italian mosquitos make my boyfriend skin look like pink bubble wrap but US ones barely affect him!? We think he has skeeter syndrome but why do some mosquitoes trigger it and some don’t!?

Sam Gilbert

What’s the best way to stop the itch after being bitten, besides hydrocortisone cream or my unbacked scientific method of “Xing” it with my finger nail to distract myself from the itch?

Kathy Clark

Why do mosquitoes prefer some people (I.e. me) over others in a group that I might hang out with? I’ll usually be the one covered in bites! Do different species of mosquitos have different preferences? Blood type? Skin color, race, food last eaten…

Andrew Insch

Mosquitoes spread an assortment of viruses and some parasites such as heart worm and malaria. Why are there no bacteria diseases spread by mosquitoes?.... Wait....are there any bacteria spread by mosquitoes? But it seems to be the opposite for ticks....mostly bacteria diseases and relatively few viruses. Follow up, what is your favorte mosquito species?

Andrew Insch

Do bats actually control mosquitoes?

Andrew Insch

I like mosquitos. There are a lot of really cool species that don't bother humans. Check out "Elephant mosquitos" Toxorhynchites sp. If we eliminated the problem species wed' be taking out the main food source for them.

Waylo

Do mosquitoes provide any positive function? Would there be adverse effects if we destroy all mosquitoes? Could a mosquito caught in amber from the Jurassic period actually provide enough DNA to create a dinosaur?

OpticalJedi

I don’t have much in the way do questions. My gen bio professor at USF had a speciality in mosquitos. The only time you could get him excited was to ask about those skeeters

Yngvi

When releasing hundreds of thousands of sterile male mosquitoes into the wild in order to control their number, how successful is that actually and is it a good way for controlling mosquito population?

Björn Fredberg

Mosquitos spread disease, but do they also spread anything good? Are there any benefits or positive outcomes from being stung?

Deviancy

How did they evolve to consume blood meals? It seems like a bad source of energy compared to being a carnivore or herbivore

Björn Fredberg

If I poured up a hot, steamy glass of blood and put out next to me on the porch, would the skeeters go for the easy pickings or still prefer to sting me? Does it have to be a live host?

Mama Bee Nerd

I am assuming most questions will be about "mozzies" (as my british in-laws refer to them) as vectors ofblood pathogens, or whether or not they serve a positive function. My question is a bit of a twist on this ... Are we capable of causing illness in them somehow with our blood? Are they always just vectors or do they ever fall ill themselves from ingesting our polluted life juice? Do they have some chemical compound in their cocktail of anesthetic poking spit that prevents this or are they just hardy little specialized bad-asses? Also, I read once that we are genetically wired to engage our sympathetic nervous system upon hearing the exact frequency of their buzz vs a fly or bee.... We all know that feeling when that high pitch whine approaches our face... Is this a true evolutionary reaction? If so, is it because of the blood vector factor or what??

Björn Fredberg

If I bike down my street during the high of summer, mouth open like a big ol' Blue Whale; how much mass of mosquitoes would I have to shallow to feed me for the day? Also, if any of those insects were infected, would that affect me same as if they bit me?

Björn Fredberg

My daughter Alva (8 yrs), wants to know why it itches after being bit?

KirjoM

Are there some colors mosquitoes hate?

Amandaloveskurt

My boyfriend Logan wants to know is it true that only female mosquitoes bite? And my question is are mosquitoes more attracted to people with certain blood types or higher or lower blood sugars?

Nicole Harper

Are mosquitoes related to vampires and is that why they don’t like garlic?

Attacusatlas

What animals other than humans do mosquitos feed on? Do other animals have the same allergic response to mosquito bites as us? Do they transmit diseases to other animals? Do their bites harm small hosts?

Attacusatlas

What’s the best repellent, other than DEET? (Garlic, lemongrass, tea tree oil, smoke, etc.?) Is it true than citronella candles don’t have an effect on them?

Attacusatlas

Also, my sister-in-law, who’s allergic to mosquito bites, swears by putting a layer of Elmer’s glue over bites to keep them from itching. I’ve tried it and it works! Why does that reduce the itching?

Alexandre Catulle

Is it true that they are more attracted by some people and why ?

SuchaHotMetz

Are mosquitos rich in iron? What makes their bodies able to turn blood into food?

SuchaHotMetz

Thats right! Makes those darn mozzies pay! ;)

Petr Kubik

I've heard many times that we could wipe mosquitos off the face of the Earth without any significant negative consequences. How good of an idea is that really? Seems like much of the times we muck with the natural order of things we end up with an unforeseen cascade of terrible consequences.

Sam Danielle

I was told as a kid that using your nail to indent a cross in your mosquito bite will stop it from itching as much. I still sometimes do this even though I'm pretty sure it's a farce. Are there any ways to make your bites less itchy other than pharmaceutical anti-itch creams?

Kellie Due

What species have sterile males been used to control? How effective is that form of management? Could/should it be applied to other species?

Merg

Can you expound on how they test areas for west Nile? I've heard it involves traps and blenders. Flim flam or no? First time question asker!

michaela a. gabriel

How many wingbeats per minute? Any mosquito records, such as, the biggest one ever recorded, etc?

Sutton Moore

As a lifelong Alaskan, there's a running joke that mosquitoes are our state bird because they're so large and prevalent. Do we just have a different species of mosquitoes up here? What's the deal? On another note, one summer the whole state had a bug spray shortage for months, and it was tough.

Sia

My mosquito-magnet son usually has an allergic reaction to getting a mosquito bite (swelling). But not always. Do mosquitos have differences in what they shoot into you?

Naomi Jane

About a decade ago I got swarmed and bitten by horsefly, which I had a terrible reaction to. Ever since, I react so awfully to any insect bites. Is this a similar reaction as people who are allergic to bee stings? Will it get worse and worse? Is all this itching doing something worse do me?! Also, what's the best way to soothe said bites? Thank you!

Max G

When I was a kid, my doctor told my parents I should take Vitamin B12 to “make my blood smell bad to mosquitoes.” Is that true, and if so, are there other things I can eat to deter them?

Naomi Jane

Similar question, I'd love to know! (Which I already added before seeing this one!)

Les Gebhardt

Are there any plants or flowers that repel mosquitos? I've heard that lavender might do this. Is it true?

Euan Munro

Why do they think I'm so delicious? Whenever there are mosquitoes about I'm always the one who gets bitten the most while others don't get any.

Ashtron9000

I really icked out by smashing bugs inside my home so, even though my partner rolls their eyes at me, I catch mosquitos in a cup and huck them outside. Should I suck it up and murder any mosquitos who dare stray into my home?? Am I contributing to the spread of disease!?There aren't huge amounts of mostuitoes here in Victoria BC but obvs people hate me for not killing them. Thanks!

Scott Hanley

Don’t flies do the vomiting?

Brenna Temple

Like, seriously, why do they exist? And also, why do I have also almost never have a reaction to bites which I inherited from my dad, but my mom and brother get huge welts and get super itchy. And also also, what can you do or use on the mosquito bites to make it stop itching? Sorry for the many questions 😅

Jarred Abrahams

Is it dangerous to smash mosquitos because of the blood in their bodies?

Geeves

How do they always sound like they're dive-bombing me when the light is off, even if they're actually on the other side of the room? Also not a question, but a gross story that I always like to share when Mozzies come up, I once woke up and there was a massively fat mosquito on the wall next to my bed. I swatted it and it exploded on the wall and left a blood spatter. A bit later I checked again and there were 2 or 3 more mosquitos feeding on the splatter.

Sophia Runte

We consider mosquitoes to be the most deadly animals on Earth, yet mosquitoes do not cause disease the pathogens they carry do. Was coining the mosquito as the most deadly animal on Earth a public health strategy or simply a misnomer?

Julia from Germ-any

Can we get "immune" (less sensitive) to their needling after enduring just enough of it? There's many different types of mosquitos here in Northern Germany - if we *can* achieve a certain level of hyposensitivity, do we have to train our bodies for each type of mosquito separately?

Loch Ness Voices

Are they related to the Scottish Midge? The arguably more vicious horrible wee shite of the insect world. Granted Mozzies spread some horrific diseases. But midges ruin holidays and reduce otherwise hardened stoic Presbyterian crofters to tears.

Raphael Santore

Do backyard mosqutoe killing machines do more harm than good to ecology of the garden and other animals and what insect takes the place of the dead mosaquitoes?

Anna Vilnīte

I feel like I am less interesting to mosquitoes since going vegan 8 years ago. Could there be something different about my scent and/or blood since ditching animal products or is it just me being dramatic about my past experience being chased by the bloodsuckers?

Sonja

What are the current updates/concerns of range increases for different species including invasive species of mosquitoes.

Sonja

What are your thoughts on some infectious disease/ pandemic experts concern for a vector born disease pandemic

Gemma

would it be ecologically safe to eradicate all of them?

Gemma

why does mosquito spray have to smell so bad?

Gemma

do mosquito candles work??

Lindsay Pennica

Do they serve any purpose? Like what is the reason they’re here?! Other than to feed opossums..

Gemma

how much mosquito spray do you wear on the daily?

Gemma

what should you do if a mosquito stylet gets stuck in your skin?

Gemma

is it true that male mosquitoes are vegetarians?

Gemma

how can mosquitoes tell nectar from human blood??

Brent Cross

What is the US currently doing to cut down on mosquitos? If they were miraculously eradicated, what could be effected?

Micah

Interested in this as well. I was born in the US and mosquitoes were never much of an issue (other than the fact they seemed to prefer me to my friends). Moved to Germany then Portugal and the mosquitoes in Europe cause huge and slightly painful swelling.

Elven Eleven

Tangential question alert! People often talk about actively eradicating all mosquitos saying their disappearance won’t have an ecological / environmental impact. Can we currently, scientifically, and accurately determine that the eradication of any organism won’t have an ecological / environmental impact?

Sonja

What are the highest risk diseases for this

Britt Kline

How afraid should I really be about contracting something awful and/or deadly from these horrid wee beasts, living in upstate/central NYS? I’m a canary in a coal mine with these assholes. On a camping trip once, I acquired the nickname, “The Exterminator”, if that gives you a vibe about how I personally feel about them. ☠️

Merridwyn mourning Mole in Abney Park cemetery Ldn

First time question asker: I haven’t watched this film since I was a kid but this always stuck in my brain because it made me giggle so much 🤭 In Lilo & Stitch, the alien council cannot destroy Earth because it is a protected wildlife reserve being used by the aliens to rebuild the mosquito population which, according to them, is an endangered species - and the mosquitoes’ food of choice (humanity) has colonies all over the planet. (YouTube video “Lilo&Stitch Mosquito Population” shows this scene) Are there any mosquito cameos or positive mosquito representation in media that make mosquito-ologists happy? 😄🦟💃🕺👯 - Merridwyn, they/them

Anne Dullmaier

How on earth can I make peace with these little buggers?

Jessica Rudd

WHY. DO. THEY. SUUUUUUUUUUUUCK (both literally and figuratively)!? Do they have any redeeming qualities at all?

Haily Midgley

Is it true that specific blood types or other genetic factors make certain people more appealing to mosquitoes? My fiancé and I could be in the exact same place at the same time, and I'll have 50 mosquito bites while he barely has any! Is it personal or is there something about me that attracts them??

Stanley

Is the sucking mechanism automatic such that if you trap their sucker by pinching the skin they will suck until they explode?

Ben Kmo

Why the stupid itch? If their bites didn’t itch, we wouldn’t mind them so much. I’m guessing it’s our immune stem causing the itch, but WHY IS THIS NECESSARY?

Lauren Cooper

What makes mosquitoes so good at carrying diseases?

Lauren Cooper

Why do they seem to prefer my husband's blood to mine? Is he just more delicious than me?

Kelly Dooling

Are certain diseases only carried by certain species? Or can all species be vectors for the diseases found in their habitat? How large of a range can different species occupy?

ChimeWitch

I know dragonflies experience the world in slomo compared to us because of how many frames per second they can process. How do our small, bitey friends compare?

Sarah Chaney

I am so excited for this episode and I want to be a medical entomologist when I grow up (still working on it at 49). I would love to understand what happened with Zika virus. Where did it go? How come we don't hear about it anymore? What are some of the long-term effects of the babies born during that outbreak? Are people still experiencing new infections from mosquitos and/or sexual transmission today? Where did it come from? Zika - please update. Thanks!

Zinc

is it okay if I kill them? I avoid every other bug (unless its known invasive)

Gina Ahn

Does diet or diabetes affect how delicious you are to mosquitoes? Or is it just co2 output?

Annmarie Everhart

From my friend Amanda: Is it possible to be bitten so many times at once (by a lot of mosquitos) that you would get severe health issues or possibly die? This is assuming the mosquito isn't carrying any significant diseases with them.

Kyla Kelly

some people have said that mosquitoes have no ecological impacts and eradicating them would be without consequence. Is this true??

Bredlab

Q: What are the best local names for mosquitos? In England we call them "midges" or "mozzies" or "gnats"

Nova Q

Why do they dumb the itchy juice in your skin after sucking your blood?? I’d be fine with donating they don’t have to give me anything 😫

Robb and Carol Hermes

Say, what is it with mosquitoes? Why do some humans seem to send out an invitation to belly up to the bar, while others repel them? Do some of us have pheromones attracting them? I have heard that blood type, sugar in your system, and even human odor can be to blame. Please tell us what is going on and, please, please tell us how can we change it?

Borzmatic

My parents live in Alaska. While driving around, I noticed bright yellow Mosquito-crossing signs along the road. Are there deer-sized mosquitos strolling around on the roads up there? What’s the deal and how terrified should I be?

EdNoGG

Jurassic Park, could that happen?

A softly boiled egg

What are your thoughts on projects to kill mosquitos on a big scale to reduce malaria deaths? The disease causes such a huge burden but I worry about solutions which involve meddling with nature, what if there are unintended consequences?

Cat Lady

I really really do not like mosquitos... 1. WHY do they make that HORRENDOUS * MEEEEEEEE*SOUND?!?! 2. What are some effective and pet-friendly mosquito repellent I can wear? I get chewed up so badly and the bites turn into giant welts. Also, is there something I can put in my apartment to keep mosquitos from entering in the first place? Their weird flying patterns make them so creepy and difficult to catch!!

Magsaroni

Do they really have a preference for certain blood types? Why do some people react so strongly to their bites (I have scars!)? Do they have venom, or toxin, or are we just allergic to some molecule they carry? If mosquitoes went extinct, would the ecosystem fall apart?

Omennik

Skeeters were our local slang

Lana

Why do mosquitos prefer some humans more than others? Is it blood type? How much CO2 you offgas? The smell of your shampoo?

Omennik

On Alaska Mozies, is it true that they can exsanguinate a naked human in under three hours? and was this a form of torture?

germzy

Is it really possible to eradicate mosquitoes in an area by introducing sterile males into an environment, and would this be beneficial for suppressing mosquitoes for reducing mosquito-borne illesses?

Ja Jo: Art & Craft

Will mosquitoes be around forever? Do they all need blood?

Waylo

I’m only aware of bats eating mosquitoes. Are there any other mosquito predators? Do bats contract diseases carried by mosquitoes or do they have a mechanism to combat any diseases carried by them?

Borzmatic

😱 I’m having my parents airlifted out immediately.

bebau

Can we make ourselves poisonous to mosquitoes so all the ones who bite people die and we naturally select for only pacifist mosquitoes?

Catalina Ibarburu

Can you talk about how they genetically modified mosquitoes so they would be less fertile in ethiopia to prevent the spread of malaria?

Mr. Weevil

Do they ever drink so much blood that they explode? What are their feelings on A positive blood?

Eli

what is the name of the substance that they inject into your blood to thin it out? is it found any other places in nature? love from Norway!❤️

Julie Scott

Why do mosquitoes tend to ignore me in favor of my daughter? (poor thing, they treat her like a buffet)

Timothy Nolan

Which of the bite treatments actually work? I have heard Afterbite, the brand, meat tenderizer, lemon juice, or physical treatments like using your nail to imprint a cross on top of it?

Kirk Fetters

Why do they love my wife and hate me?

John Bochanski

Do bats really eat that many mosquitoes? What is the best way to deter them on a backyard and neighborhood scale? PS. First time question asker!

Neen

why are they so noisy

Neen

can they transmit disease from one person to another? can they taste my anti depressants?

Neen

where do they chill during the day?

Neen

WHY BLOOD

Keerat Singh

How long do mosquitoes live? Do they mate for life?

Jessi

What's the deal with the infertal gmo mosquitos for controlling malaria carrying mosquito populations? How does that work?

Katie Hammond

Do we know how old they are, how ancient? How do they survive winters in places that actually get cold? How far north/south of the equator can they survive? Do you like the movie Lilo and Stitch, in which they are a protected intergalactic species?

Julie

First time question asker! Do mosquitos in different areas have different characteristics? For example, immunity or resistance to certain bug spray ingredients and effects of saliva. I always have to buy local bug spray when I travel because the stuff that works where I live rarely works abroad AND I react differently to bites depending on where I am too (SE Asia skeeters are the worst for me)

Matty Sallin

Do cartridge-based electric mosquito repellants like Thermacell actually work? How about mosquito coils? Which is the better value? What if your husband is irresistible to mosquitos?

Dad jokes crack me up

Hello!! Does what you eat (or drink) impact your mosquito attractiveness factor? Is there such a thing as a mosquito attractiveness factor? Can I eat or drink something to make me less attractive to the little monsters? Is there anything to take itch away?? When, in Canada (Ontario) (or where else, geographically) should we be obsessed with avoiding mosquito transmitted disease? Do I need to worry about my pets getting something not covered by standard pet vaccines and seasonal treatments?

Yaya Richman

Will they get better or worse with climate change?!

Alan Gross

Besides providing food to dragonflies, is there any value that mosquitos provide to the environment?

Emily

Please tell me something good mosquitoes do so I can hate them less

Elisabeth Grube

What is the social relationship that mosquitos have with each other? With other insects? Do they form any symbiotic or commensalistic relationships?

Elisabeth Grube

When and where did mosquitos evolve? Are there any fossil records of similar insects/ancestors?

Kim Krulek

Can they train mosquitoes to suck fat from us instead of blood? I can volunteer

Elisabeth Grube

Flies, ticks, and mosquitos have been known to carry disease. Has this been true since antiquity? Is it because they carry blood-born pathogens? If so- why can't they transmit HIV?

Claire Nurc

Why are they such bastards and why do they always bite me? More seriously, is there something special about how their wings work to produce such a high pitched whine when flying? And why is that noise louder when you're lying in bed in the dark without a mosquito net?

Oh Noey It’s Joey

Why does it feel like mosquitos have no predators?!? What can I do to invite more mosquito predators to live in my yard?

RoadLesTravelled

Is there any truth to the rumor that mosquitoes don’t venture more than 10’ above ground?

Shannon O'Grady

Why are they so much more attracted to me than others? Is the O blood type thing a myth? Why did Europe have so many less mosquitos in the past?

Christine Wenzel

Is there a best mosquito repellant and how do they work? Do the mosquitos dislike the smell or is there something else going on? Much appreciated answers as we gear up for summer!

Domino Cohn

This is awesome - THANK YOU!

Lorraine Boissoneault

If scientists used a mass sterilization technique, like the Wolbachia bacteria, and wiped out all the mosquitoes, would any other organisms be negatively affected? Or could we all rejoice? Tell me straight, I need to know if there is actually a compelling reason for these bastards to exist.

Joe Weinmunson

I'm old enough that when I was a kid a "mosquito truck" drove around during the summer spraying something awful into the air. Sometimes we chased after it on bikes, sometimes we ran to get as far away from the street as we could. What was in that stuff, and how dangerous was it?

Jeanette-o-saur

Do mosquitoes really like you better if you've eaten bananas (or any other food) recently?

Jeanette-o-saur

Back when CRISPR was new, there was talk of sterilizing the mosquitoes who carry malaria. Did any solid research come out of that? Also, my understanding is that the malaria mosquitoes are an invasive species, so we could technically kill them off and let the non-vector species retake the habitat niche. Is this realistic? Is there a way to do this other than gene editing?

Jeanette-o-saur

How many infected mosquitoes have to bite you to give you malaria, West Nile, dengue, whatever? Is it just one or many?

Marion Bates

Why do mosquitoes NOT spread some blood-borne diseases, namely, HIV/AIDS?

Michelle Cabrera

Why do mosquitoes love me? I mean ME. Not my husband, not my friends, but ME. Like, when I'm around, everyone else gets ignored. For the other barbecue attendees, my presence works better than spray, citronella candles and those giant incense spiral things. (And I don't eat sweets, so don't give me that bullshit.) Whyyyyy?

Lindsey James

Are mosquitoes unexpected pollinators, like flies? How important are mosquitos to the food chain? Can a healthy dragonfly population actually keep mosquito populations under control?

Eva

Mason, a 4-year-old future entomologist (and his mom) here to ask: Why don't male mosquitos bite us? Bonus question: We live in a part of the country where EEE gave us a good scare several years ago but hasn't been talked about much since. What conditions make it a worse year for mosquitos transmitting EEE?

Sam Gilbert

Does core body temperature have any correlation to mosquitos being more or less drawn to someone? Like a thermal footprint?

Colin

Why do they sound like that and why does it make my skin crawl?

Teresa Gleason

Do mosquitoes “just” provide food for bats and others or are there other reasons we should not hate them? Why was I prime feeding ground when I was a youngster, but now that I’m aging, like fine wine, I don’t seem to be as attractive as I used to be? (I’m not complaining.)

Nina P Jordan

Why are mosquitoes so attracted to some people who get lots of bites and not to others. What are the mosquitos attracted to? Is is certain blood types or sweat or certain colors or what? And why do some people itch and scratch mosquito bites incessantly until they

Nina P Jordan

become infected and need Benadryl, antibiotics, or other medical care?

ethan

Are there types of mosquitos that don’t suck blood? Do they just target blood, or any liquid with nutritional value to them?

Erin Gill

My reaction to mosquitos is so severe I need strong antihistamines and ice! Is there an evidence based way to stop them biting me that isn't a topical chemical? They will bite me through my clothes. I am snak.

Katie Harris

Where do mosquitos go in the winter, do they overwinter as larvea? When I spend time with people i feel like other get bitten more than me is it blood type or scent, what are they attracted to? Is there any benefit to mosquitos? What makes their bites so itchy afterwards?

fullmetalknee

Mosquito repellent plants - you would have to crush and use their oils right? You can't just plant an oregano like a dome force field right? Mosquito dunks and bits really only harm mosquito larva? All of the species? What are those night-cruising spray trucks in my neighborhood spritzing out for mosquito control? Why do they love to bite me and my uncle but not my brothers? Also, tiger mosquitoes...why are they here (coastal Maryland) and why are they so big I can see their stripes and SHADOWS??? 😫

Caro Young

Any tips on how to deal with bites so they don’t become huge welty itch mountains?

Nick A

My only (likely unhelpful) question is why: why do they exist?

AtoBtoL

Do mosquitoes really prefer certain blood types? I have O+ blood and was told many time that mosquitoes prefer it. 🤷🏼‍♀️

libby revel

Is it true that only female mosquitos bite?

Jani Rounds

Is there anything other than deet that will prevent bites? Other than traveling with mosquito-magnet (because I am one). Does providing bat habitat and reducing standing water work?

Meg Ahern

Oooh, can we talk about Wolbachia and progress in using that to fight the transmission of dengue (slash other mosquito-borne diseases)? What's the latest?

Meg Ahern

Picaridin works about as well (maybe marginally better) than DEET, and is way less aversive, just fwiw :)

LittleC PsyD

Is it true that mosquitoes prefer to bite some people more than others because of their skin microbiomes?

decimals and more

I polled my family on this one and here are their questions… My 12 year old son wants to know if mosquitos prefer one blood type over another? My 10 year old son asks if bigger mosquitos eat smaller mosquitos? My 7 year old son would like to know how they use blood to make eggs? And finally- my mom happened to be around and wondered why malaria is no longer a problem here in the states? 🦟🩸😘

decimals and more

My personal #1 question is mostly just WHY? Why in god’s name why.

Jenna Congdon

I've never wanted to yeet a whole species off the earth, but can it be mosquitoes? (Ticks being a VERY CLOSE second). What would happen if they disappeared?

Emily Schwan

What is the best, natural way to keep mosquitos at bay? I don’t want to get bit but I also don’t want to harm the environment or other animals/bugs.

Cece Tincknell

I would love to know any ways I can natural discourage them from my woodsy yard. Obviously we all know about removing sources of water where they could breed, but are there bird or bat species that are natural predators of mosquitos which I could encourage to live in my yard?

Dawn Smolczyk (pronounced small-check)

There were trucks that went around my home town spraying something that was supposed to get rid of mosquitoes. Is that spray okay to breath in / okay for you to keep the windows open to your house?

Erin White

(My first ologies question ever!!) With climate change shifting our seasons, will every season be mosquito season now? Are we shifting towards a permanent mosquito hellscape?

Erin White

scotch tape. Like, just clear plastic tape. I have no idea why but it works.

Lenore Hill

Why do mosquitoes prefer me, by far, to my husband and is that the real reason he loves me? (My first question!)

Lenore Hill

Why do I sometimes get huge welts and sometimes barely any discoloration around the bite at all?

hildabeast

Please confirm my hunch! (Or debunk, either way) I have a theory that mosquito populations are way out of control compared to pre-colonialism due to extermination of the once-abundant bat populations in the south eastern US. Fun fact, this theory *took flight* after listening to the awesome BAT Ologies episode! (...Which I listened to twice 🤓🦇🖤) Thank you! Sincerely, A lifelong sufferer of disproportional mosquito harassment.

Lane&Crystal

Are there animals that mosquitoes don't harass?

Katy

Aside from using bugspray on the people/animals, are there any good, environmentally friendly, ways to keep them at bay in small areas? For example on a balcony, porch, or campsite? (I'm not sure whether things that kill them or things that simply repel the are more environmentally friendly.) And are there actually any fragrances that work as repellents or is that all myth (Avon Skin So Soft, mint, citronella). I don't have standing water on my balcony, I don't want to spray myself with bugspray just to sit outside with a book, and I don't always want to light an incense coil. I'd love if I could just use a linen spray when I went out there.

Trevor Ogborn

Is there any correlation between people with diabetes or high blood sugar and mosquito bites? Do they like the sweet sweet? Does consuming apple cider vinegar make blood less "tasty" for them?

Mander Janners

I don't wanna yuck someone's yum, but is it true some species are attracted to smelly feet?

Hailey

I am so excited for this episode! I am seriously allergic to mosquito bites (I had a horrible systemic reaction a few years ago and have to carry an Epipen now). What is happening to our bodies when we have bad reactions to mosquitoes? And if someone is allergic to mosquitoes like this, are we more likely to be allergic to bites from other insects too? Thank you!!!

Gene Phillips

How effective has the release of sterile mosquitoes been at controlling the population size?

Justin Bowen

Is there a carrying capacity for any ecosystem for mosquitoes? Can there ever be an overpopulation of mosquitoes?

Justin Bowen

Are there diseases and parasites that affect mosquitoes?

EDM

Are we a preferred meal for mosquitoes or do they prefer other species over us? In remote regions with little human population are there next to no mosquitoes?

Earl of Greymalkin

1) Why do their leggies look like that? What's with the upwards facing backwards looking ones? 2) How does the proboscis work? What gives it the strength to pierce skin? How sharp is it? How far does it go? Does it telescope? How much do they have to poke around to find a good spot? How do they detect a good spot in the first place? 3) Do mosquitos really prefer people with A+ blood? Why? 4) Mosquitos are infamous as the animal that 'kills' the most humans each year. Do we know to what degree they are responsible for other animal populations dying? Do they like humans more because we don't have fur to protect us from their stabby sucky faces? 5) As climate change advances, how fucked are we with the ones carrying scary diseases moving into new habitats? (Does that mean 'neglected' diseases are already getting more funding in the global north?) If the United States back in the day eliminated endemic malaria, can we do it again? 6) Is it true that if all mosquitos suddenly, magically dropped dead at the same time, the ecosystem wouldn't suffer? Do they actually serve a 'useful' function? 7) When researchers stick their arm in an enclosure to feed lab mosquitos their own blood, how do you not die of itching the next day??? Who would voluntarily do that? Is there a magic anti-bug bite treatment? 8) How do mosquitos navigate the world? How do they decide where on an organism to land to stick their face straw in and not get slapped into a skeeter pancake? 9) How fast is a mosquito reaction time compared to humans, etc? 10) Are there any concerning emerging mosquito-bourne pathogens? Who is surveying for this where?

Justin Bowen

Are there morphological traits within species across their northern and southern ranges like there are for birds and mammals?

Cameron

First time question asker: why do mosquitoes like still water and humidity?

Annie

first time question asker: why are mosquitoes?

Clathira

Please address the genocide in Palestine!

Renee K.

1. I live in Houston, and I heard recently in the news that they are expecting an increase in mosquito-born illnesses in the area. Whose job is it to keep tabs on the public health risks related to mosquitoes? How can the risks be predicted, and how accurate are they? 2. In what conditions are you most likely to see a lot of mosquitoes? Why are there tons of mosquitoes some years and very few other years? 3. I am from the humid midwestern US, and I have always wondered - do mosquitos like to live in drier climates as well?

Josie Rutherford

First time question asker: What else do mosquitoes eat other than our delicious blood? Why do you itchy from a mosquito bite? Does soap promising decreased risk of mosquito bites work? (I have a soap that sort of smells like citronella that "promises" to reduce the risk of getting bitten but I am unconvinced thus far) How does insect repellent work? Both the typical deet type and the Theracell. Is smoke really a natural bug repellent? What would happen to the environment and ecosystems if there were no mosquitoes? Is climate change increasing or decreasing mosquito populations? Is it true that there are some people who don't itch from bug bites? What is the best way to treat the bug bites? Does the bug bite thing work (the suction syringe thing)? Why do some bug bites hurt more than others? My grandparents live in a remote cottage in Michigan and the bites there always seem to be worse and I always put it towards them being more hungry. Is that true?

Mariana Gonzalez-Rul

People detest these animals and believe they are only a pest that should not exist, yet all species have a rol and purpose in life and fulfill a role in an ecosystem, what is the role of mosquitoes in an ecosystem? What function do they serve?

Sarah Williamson

What is the best way to deal with the itchiness of mosquito bites?

Steve Kelem

Ask about mosquito hawks. Do they eat mosquitos? If not, which of our friends do, and how do I get more of them? Also, ask about papain powder, which I rub into fresh mosquito bites. Allegedly, it breaks down the anti-coagulant in the bite. I've found that the bumps and itchiness go away really quickly. (Don't use the seasoned meat tenderizer.)

Amanda Lask

What is the status of the sterile mosquito project? Is it possible to make these bitches go extinct???

Sienna

Why are they so attracted to me and how can I get them to go away?

Sienna

How much of a barrier does hair, fur and feathers pose to mosquitos? Are certain animals really good at protecting themselves from mosquitos with a specialized coat or secretion?

Rachel Prestayko

Why can only some mosquitos carry diseases like the Zika virus?

Zoe Litton

What is a surprising role (good or bad) that these skeeters play in an ecosystem?

Kyle Riggs

Do mosquitoes make any positive contributions to ecosystems?

Mouse Paxton

There are approximately five bajillion mosquitoes on my property due to the nearby forest. Literally there were so many last year you could just here this low droning emanating from the wetter areas. Any tips for making summer bearable? And am I going to get West Nile Virus and die or whatever if I don't wear bug spray? It's gross and I have to walk my dog three times a day. Also mosquito tornadoes??? Is that a thing?????

Philine

Do mosquitos like specific bloodtypes more than other?

Bonnie M Rutherford

I'm curious as to why mosquitoes rarely bite me but they're all over other family members? Is it blood type or something in my diet? Why am I not their favorite?

Alannah Wood

What is the best mosquito repellent?

T Noz

I'm a mosquito magnet - will get 5 - 10 bites before other family members have one and the bites swell up so my legs look like I have leprosy. My question, is there a immunosuppressive treatment for reducing the reaction to whatever toxins that mosquitoes inject into skin? Just what are the toxins the suckers are exporting?

Brynn Balcom

If mosquitos were eradicated, would there be any detrimental impacts? Because they’re the worst.

Madison Armand

Hi! I work outside and I’d really love to avoid becoming a red, swollen, walking mosquito bite. I know OFF! Deep Woods isn’t great, but it’s the only thing that keeps me from getting eaten alive. I only spray a little when it’s peak season, but are there alternatives that are better for me and the environment? Thanks! (PS I know you’re swamped with episodes but I hope you’ll consider an animal welfare science episode! I’m an animal welfare scientist and know plenty of amazing researchers to talk to. Huge fan of the pod, Alie!)

Magdalena Castillo

Do mosquitos prefer to bite specific body parts over others? Plz give me a reason to love mosquitos besides the fact that they are essential in most food chains

Kitshea

What are the proboscis(s?) made of for females, where they can be tough enough to get through skin?

Leah Perlongo

What animal actually eats the most mosquitoes?

Trevor Ogborn

Could you really extract dinosaur DNA from a mosquito, or do its digestive enzymes make that impossible? Watching Jurassic Park of you couldn't tell...

Gemma

do venom extractors (aka the bug bite thing) really work for mosquito bites???

Kris Dunk

First time question asker: Are mosquitoes drawn to a certain blood type or ethnic group? I’m of Asian descent living in the Midwest and noticed that all of my Asian friends tend to get bit more than others. Are there some species of mosquitoes that favor certain types of people over others?

Tarable Adult

Have mosquitoes always been the small(ish) annoying pest of lingering itch? Or were they much larger with a stronger stabby nose??

Geeves

Is there any truth to the story that a mosquito will explode if you stretch your skin and trap it while it's feeding? This was a common story when I was a kid (in mosquito-infested Durban, South Africa).

ChickenChomper

How do they think mosquitos evolved? Do they derive from some salt loving butterfly-like ancestor that was noming on some salty mammal and then accidentally took a bite? Thus morphing into THE vampire bug?

Ty Sundquist

First time question asker! and posting questions on behalf of my mom: "Why is it that only female mosquitoes bite? And How do mosquito larvae/eggs survive over the winter?"

Heather Leonard

Aside from spraying pesticide everywhere, what are some of the modern ingenious ways that people have been working on to get rid of mosquitos. I’ve heard of sterilizing them? Are there others?

Jakin Yang

How do we actually get rid of them? Long story, in 2020, I was out working in the bush in Northern BC (Canada), and it was super rainy. By July, there were so many mosquitos that people's clothes were literally carpeted with live mosquitos. It was hell on Earth. There is no way, we need that many mosquitos. So like, is getting rid of all of them an actually viable strategy? I once saw Hank Green talk about how ecosystems don't necessarily work in the way that we think and if we get rid of one thing, they don't necessarily collapse. So... could we just... get rid of all of them?

Jess Slattery

I work at the MIT Museum where there's a display about scientists who are using a standard gene drive in female anopheles mosquitoes so when they reproduce their offspring can't spread malaria. Do you have any thoughts about the project (especially the longer term or ethical implications of it)?

Stephanie Rosso

First time question asker: Can mosquitoes bite through jeans? I spent some time in the Philippines and wore jeans with my socks over the ankles (like a moron in tropical heat) and still ended up with bites on my legs. Unless they happened while I was sleeping in pajamas, I couldn't figure out why I was still getting bit!

Andrew Insch

As someone who is super passionate about mosquitoes, I really want to chime in on some of these questions....but I'll wait until the episode comes and goes. This question is to anyone who is interested in mosquitoes. Do you have a favorite species of mosquito? My favorite two are Toxorhynchites rutilis, Uranotaenia saphirina,

Daniel Opdahl

Why does it seem like humans can build up a tolerance to mosquito bites? I spent a couple of summers in northern Minnesota when I was little and I recall building up a tolerance to the itchiness over the season.

Paper Wasp Enthusiast

I work in a vector control lab that rears Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for various experiments, but one thing that we always struggle with is culling any excess eggs that females produce. We’ll soak them in 30% bleach solutions with hot water and still will have adults emerge. Is there anything short of baking them at 350 for 30 minutes that will kill the eggs?

Emma Sherwood

I do fieldwork and compared to my coworkers, I get bit less frequently and don't swell up from each bite. I also think I don't swell up or itch as much as I used to, following one particularily buggy season in northern Saskatchewan. I know mosquitos not liking me as much could be due to a varierty of factors like diet and me dousing myself in probably unhealthy amounts of DEET, but can you talk about why when I do get bit it's less bad? Can you develop 'imunity' of some sort over time?

The Bag Lady

Is there any evidence as to why some people tend to attract mosquitos more than others? I myself seem to be a mosquito magnet.

Kate Noonan

Why do mosquitoes make the humming noise when they fly?? It drives me nuts!!

Kate Noonan

Are some populations of mosquitos "smarter" than others? I used to live in suburbia and would get destroyed by mosquitos but wouldn't see them that much. Now I live rurally and there are mosquitos EVERYWHERE, but I don't get bitten as much? Are these mosquitos dumb? Or am I not as tasty to these mosquitos because their a different species??

Dorian Gray

I would love a mosquito free backyard. I've started planting catmint and lemonbalm. Any other recommendations that are cat safe? Thank you

Robin C Pike

I know some mosquitoes pollenate flowers but what is the purpose of mosquitoes in an evolutionary sense? Disease vectors? Outdoor evening spoilers?

Jade

What’s the best way to not get bitten while still being eco-conscious (specifically not spraying a lot of harmful chemicals in the air/on my body)?

Olivia Lester

I’m ITchinG with questions... - have mosquitos ever benefitted humans? benefitted any sp? - WHY DO THEY EXIST - have humans capitalized their numbing agent? - are they invasive sp - who do they avoid - discriminate by smell, color, skin texture, skin moisture...? - are there any cute portrayals of these literal suckers - can they give each other disease - sexually alluring traits in each other? - can they smell - how often do they need to eat? how much blood do they take on avg. - are fish safe from bites - their extinction possible? would that be so bad... - are they endangered ever? - how do they make sweet sweet mosquito love

Olivia Lester

Sheryl Lester, first time q asker and my progenitor, wants to know if eating garlic deters mosquitos? or is that all floppy flim flam

Dawson Leone

First time question asker, my wife wants to know if they are attracted to certain blood types? They don’t seem to care about me in the least, but is that because they are too busy launching a full scale assault on her?

Rachel Guthrie

What are some of the common types of mosquitoes? I’ve seen some (in Oregon) that have crazy long legs and others that are much smaller, are they both mosquitoes?

Tracie Weiss

Why do my mosquito bites turn into welts while they leave the rest of my family alone?

Connie_cannot

Why do I, sometimes, have a violent reaction to one flying - seemingly - right next to my ear hole? I know it's not going to build a home in my ear hole, but I freak out all the same...

Greg Lewis

Does someone's immune system affect mosquito attraction? My cousin, a cancer survivor, does not have a strong immune system. She feels mosquitoes are drawn to her and she is highly allergic to them. One bite doesn't stop itching for a month and sometimes becomes infected.

Spencer Parks

Oh damn, I missed the audio cut off. Oh well! I once got over 100 skeeter bites while I was outside putting together a trampoline on a VERY hot chicago summer day. What is it about the heat and humidity that makes our hungry friends come out more? Maybe it's obvious but I'm not sure. :)

Lorelei

First time question asker! If we were to get rid of mosquitoes, would something about the ecosystem go out of whack? Less food for bats, so then fewer bats? What sort of chain reaction would no mosquitoes cause?

Heather Hicks

First timer!!! I contracted Chikungunya, which translates "to become contorted" while on my honeymoon in the Maldives. My symptoms, joint pain and swelling, lasted for about 6 months! Why do mosquitoes exist other than for some sick and twisted game of population control?

Theladyisageek

Why do they only like me? I know I'm great and all... but I'm the one in the family who has the biggest, itchiest bites and the one who gets bit first and most often. And those giant itchy welts are not great.

Danielle Nance

Hey Alie, I don’t have a question about these blood suckers, but I wanted to tell you I shared your podcast series with a patient I am caring for in the hospital with lymphoma. She’s a park ranger and super cool. Her face lit up and we giggled about how much fun the episodes are. Thanks for brightening her day with some sassy discovery of the world!

Angellica Stanley

First time questioning asker and wastewater pathologist here! I am wondering how many different diseases are carried by mosquitoes. And what is considered the most deadly not only for humans, but other mammals. Thank you!

Consistent Calamity

What’s the best way to keep them away without dousing myself in chemicals?

Samm

If mosquitos suddenly went extinct, would it ruin anything? Like do they bring ANY benefits to the world?

Honeybee

What is the best method to getting rid of the itchiness from their bites? Bonus points if it's toddler friendly! Covering the bites with bandaids and antiseptic cream seems to help, and my mum always did a criss cross pattern with her nail into the bite.

Aimee Ford

*Frustration* I just saw the notice about mosquitoes and signed up the moment I did and have already missed the cutoff. First time question asker, and I'm going to try anyway b/c one always fail when they don't try. I have always been the person mosquitoes ignored. Like, land on me, not bite, fly away and bite the person next to me. I started a stimulant for ADHD (Adderall) and all of a sudden I could not walk 20 feet to my car without getting 3+ bites through denim, all summer. I had to set up mosquitoe traps to reduce the population around my home. Why? Did the medication change my chemistry or body heat? Or does it smell good to them somehow? Why the sudden change?

Paul Batson

First Time, old timer. Can mosquitoes transmit alpha-gal or MMA, mammalian meat allergy, like ticks?