Unique creations of nature hide many secrets. The six-limbed animal, the squeaker mosquito, which will be discussed in this article, has an amazing multi-phase life cycle and the ability to feed on more than just blood. Let us consider in more detail the habitat, the structure of the body of the insect and the stages of its development.
Mosquito diet
The Pisk mosquito belongs to the order of Diptera insects of the species Culex pipiens. A small parasite reaches a length of 3-7 mm. Nature rewarded him with amazing "hearing": having no ears, an adult is able to detect the presence of warm-blooded creatures at a distance of up to 30 meters. For this, there is a special organ - sensitive antennae. In males, they are covered with small hairs, due to which they look like fluffy feathers.
This mechanism allows you to detect the presence of a female during the mating season, because the male does not need to search for a victim at all. Her main diet is natural sugars. Mosquitoes find them in the nectar of burdock, tansy, and other field herbs. Dietthe female includes two components - in the period before mating, she eats like the male.
After mating dances, the insect becomes a real scourge of warm-blooded animals, looking for them to feed on blood. The squeaker mosquito, whose limbs in the amount of six pieces allow a sexually mature individual to sneak up on the victim unnoticed, can have a different color of the body, which contributes to its good disguise. Representatives of the species, which have a brown tint, are barely visible on the bark of trees, and striped individuals are perfectly hidden among the grasses, in the undergrowth.
Habitat and lifestyle
Everyone has had to wake up from a bite or an annoying squeak of mosquitoes. This suggests a conclusion about their preferential way of life. Insects prefer to get food at night, and during the day sit out in dark shelters - among the grass, in cracks in the bark of trees.
The closer the river, swamp, lake, the more likely to meet countless hordes of squeakers. This is due to their life cycle, part of which takes place in the aquatic environment. Parasites are ubiquitous. You will not meet them except in the Arctic or the desert, where they cannot breed.
For the winter, the parasite prefers to hide in the basements of residential buildings. The presence of small puddles and heat allows them to "spend time usefully." The pupae turn into an adult, which flies into people's homes in search of food.
Body structure
The mosquito's body is divided into several parts. The head is attached to the thoracic region with three shield plates. It hassensitive antennae, huge compound eyes and mouthparts. In the middle part of the body is the chest, divided into three segments. The legs, abdomen and wings of an insect are attached to it. There is also a spiracle connected to the trachea.
Why do we hear the characteristic mosquito squeak? It is emitted by paired wings, equipped with a fringe along the edges. High frequency vibrations are captured by the human ear in the form of a ringing sound. The parasite makes 500-1000 strokes per second. The wings are composed of various veins covered with a small number of scales.
How many limbs does a squeaker mosquito have? To answer this question, you need to carefully examine the adult. Six thin legs are attached to its thoracic region. They have a rather complex structure, which allows the insect not only to stay on the skin of the victim, but also to crawl in a plastun way. Each foot has five segments with suction cups at the end, the last of which is equipped with two claws.
How much blood can a female drink?
A sexually mature female peeper mosquito feeds on blood. This liquid is rich in proteins necessary for the formation of eggs and their proper development. How much food can a bloodthirsty lady eat? A hungry mosquito weighs about 1-2 mg, and a dined individual about 3-5 mg. The special structure of the abdomen helps to accommodate such an amount of blood. It is divided into 10 segments, interconnected by elastic membranes. When eating and bearing future offspring, the pleura is greatly stretched.
Do mosquitoes have teeth?
During a detailed study of the mouth apparatus of the Pisk mosquito, its unique structure was revealed. The food organs consist of two pairs of jaws equipped with teeth. They are located in the "case" formed by elongated lips. The proboscis that pierces the skin is equipped with stylets. The male does not have them. In the process of feeding, the lower jaws cling to the tissues with their teeth and drag the sucking apparatus deep into.
To prevent the victim from feeling threatened, the mosquito injects an anesthetic. And the bite site itches from the anticoagulant secreted by the insect, which prevents blood clotting.
Interestingly, the pisk's antennae allow you to smell the future "donor" in several ways. The female distinguishes both body temperature and excretion of CO2 and lactic acid. The latter is synthesized by human glands during sweating and is captured by a blood-sucking individual at a distance of up to 50 meters. You can see the detailed structure of the head of such an insect as the pisk mosquito (photo is shown) under a multiple magnification of the electron microscope.
Reproduction
Walking near the reservoir in the warm season, you can watch the mating dances of mosquitoes. They huddle in big flocks. At the same time, the female emits a characteristic squeak to attract the opposite sex. The male picks up the sound and finds its mate.
At the end of the mating season, female squeakers try to get enough fresh blood as soon as possible. They seek out prey and consume the protein source for the development of offspring. After some time, the individual lays eggs in the formtiny boats. They are tightly glued together in the amount of 20-30 pieces. The mother looks for a source of stagnant water for future larvae, saturated with organic matter and the simplest creatures. Mosquitoes are completely undemanding to growth conditions and can develop even in a polluted environment. They are suitable for shallow reservoirs, excluding the presence of waves - puddles, ditches, barrels.
Life cycle
The lower part of the eggs is equipped with a special "hatch". After 2-8 days, larvae appear from the masonry. They need to gain strength and grow up. To do this, a newborn bloodworm feeds on protozoa, unicellular algae and bacteria. The body length of the larvae is only 1 mm. In the tail part there is a breathing tube, with which they pierce the surface of the water and absorb atmospheric air. How many legs does a peeping mosquito have in its larval stage? They just don't exist! The slightest threat - and, writhing all over, the bloodworm will hide in the water column.
For three weeks, the larvae go through 4 stages of molting. Their body increases in size up to 8-10 mm, lengthening 8 times. After such metamorphoses, which are also accompanied by internal changes, pupae appear. They are sometimes called "devils" due to the presence of two respiratory processes in the head. Outwardly, the bloodworm looks like a tightly coiled worm resembling a comma.
The next stage of development ends in a week. After shedding its chrysalis skin, the mosquito spreads its wings and takes flight.
The benefits and harms of mosquitoes
In addition to being annoying parasites, there is a danger of infection when bitten. Together with the saliva of the Pisk mosquito, some viruses can enter the human body - Japanese encephalitis, filariasis, meningitis, and avian malaria. The skin puncture site causes unbearable itching. Bites are especially dangerous for allergy sufferers, who may develop various reactions in the form of hives, rashes and eczema.
At the same time, mosquitoes allow you to maintain a natural balance. Birds feed on adult insects, and larvae are valuable food for aquarium fish. Such a menu is especially useful for juveniles, which quickly grow up on an environmentally friendly black bloodworm.
