10 Facts about Mosquitoes That S’poreans Should Know About

Other than the fact that mosquitoes make us scratch ourselves like a chimpanzee and they’re not good for our health, what else do we know about these mini-vampires that’s part and parcel of everyday life?

With dengue and the danger it brings to us, you can be sure that mosquitoes are becoming more than just a pest. They’re hazardous now.

Here are 10 facts you need to know about mosquitoes now because, well, it’s long overdue.

1. A female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs in a lifetime

That’s right. 300. Now think about the multiplier effect: 1 mosquito leads to 300 mini-mosquitoes, and even if only 100 of them are females, this lead to 30,000 mosquitoes in a month. And that’s not the worst part.

2. Mosquito eggs only require 7 days to mature into adult mosquitoes

Now our calculations make a bit more sense. In a week, you have a troop of adult mosquitoes ready to wreck havoc in your area. So don’t do a mozzie wipeout every month, try doing it every week, or every couple of days if possible.

3. Eggs hatch in stagnant water

This, I believe, is something we all know. But did you know that they don’t require much standing water to hatch? Mosquito eggs, in fact, only require as little as an inch of stagnant water to hatch. That’s crazy.

4. Mosquitoes often stayed within the area they’re hatched in

Okay, even if you don’t do your part for others (because who cares?), do it for yourself then. Mosquitoes, generally, do not stray too far away from where they’re born (just like Singaporeans, if you come to think about it). So if your house happens to have a serious mosquito problem, it’s time to take a look at your own home first before going to the town council.

5. It’s not them, it’s you.

Ever wonder how mosquitoes find you at night? It’s not how sweet your blood is, despite how we like to think so, it’s your body heat and the amount of sweat you put out at night. Mosquitoes have heat sensors around their mouths to detect body heat. In addition, they love octenol, a chemical released in our sweat. It’s said that the smell of octenol is like the smell of sizzling meat from Korean BBQ shops to us. An Eat-all-you-can Korean BBQ buffet.

6. They operate during dawn and dusk

According to the information provided on the NEA website, the peak biting period for Aedes mosquitoes are during the dawn and dusk periods of each day.

7. Top 5 breeding spots in Homes

Eager to do your part but don’t know where to start? Here are the 5 most popular breeding spots found in your own home: Domestic containers (unused containers with a layer of water found within e.g. kettle that wasn’t used for weeks, etc.), flower pot or trays, ornamental containers like vases, plants and toilet bowl.

8. Top 5 breeding spots in public

And of course, if we have the home version, we’ll need the public version as well. Here are the top breeding spots in public places: closed and open drains around building perimeters, HDB corridor drains, discarded products like cups or plates, and gully traps. So don’t litter. Because not only are you risking a $300 fine, you might also be responsible for the destruction of a child’s future.

9. Mosquitoes love warm places

The best temperature for a mosquito to live in is above 26 degree celsius so if you happen to have an air con in your room, just switch it on and you’ll find yourself itching less the next day. If you do not have an air con, just sleep with the fan pointed in your direction at speed 3. The wind will keep the mosquito away. Probably.

10. Only female mosquitoes suck your blood

Remember NEA’s secret army of male mosquitoes? They’re going to release one-to-three mosquitoes per resident in four affected areas. Don’t worry, though, because only female mosquitoes suck your blood, and even then, they only do so because they require the protein to help her eggs develop. Both male and female mosquitoes feed mainly on blood and fruit nectar.