Tuesday, March 29, 2011

What do you know about the pesky mosquito - a practical test (True or False, 25 items)

Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature - School on Blog

Lesson: The mosquito, world's number one killer and man's worst enemy. More humans have been killed by the mosquito than the total death caused by wars and conflicts combined. Alexander the Great was killed by the malaria mosquito.

Answer Key to Know your Mosquito test on Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid, 738 KHz AM, 8 to 9 evening class, Monday to Friday.


Aedes, most common mosquito in the house.

1. The saliva of mosquito contains anaethesia and anticoagulant. True, that's why we don't immediately feel the hurt, until the mosquito is full, and the anesthesia has subsided. Imagine what would happen to this insect-vampire if there's no anticoagulant.

2. Mosquitoes bite only warm blooded animals. False, there are mosquitoes that bite reptiles and amphibians.

3. Both male and female bite humans. False, only the female, the male feeds mainly on plant sap and exudates of other organisms.

4. Mosquitos can travel 50 to 75 miles, and up to 1000 ft. True

5. Mosquitoes bite anytime as long as they are hungry and there is a suitable host. False, mosquitoes by species have their feeding time. Anopheles bites chiefly in the evening and early morning, while theAedes bites during the day.

6. Anopheles and Culex cause dengue and malaria. False, Aedes carry dengue, Anopheles malaria

7. Culex is a carrier of viral encephalitis and filariasis . True

8. The adult malarial Anopheles bites with a vertical position, its larva lies horizontal just below the surface on the water. True

9. Oil kills wrigglers only by its toxic compound. False, oil covers the breathing tube, and results to asphyxiation.

10. In a year's time, there may be from 15 to 20 generations produced, with 100 eggs per generation. A common mosquito can spawn 31 billion decendants in 6 generations . True

11. Mosquitoes fight each other. True, Toxorphynchites has 3 species that feed on the wrigglers of other mosquitoes– now used as biological agents in Hawai, Fiji, Australia and Southeast Asia.

12. The nemesis of mosquitoes is fish, specifically Gambusia and Poecillia. True

13. Mosquitoes prefer to bite people who don't regularly take a bath. True

14. Those wearing white attract more mosquitoes. False, dark colored clothing.

15. People who have relatively higher temperature are preferred by mosquitoes. True

16. If you are fond of staying in a corner, you'll get more mosquito bites. True

17. Mosquitoes prefer to bite peopl;e who have shallow blood vessels. True

18. The antennae has the combined senses of hearing, tasting, smelling - and touch. True

19. The mosquito has two eyes – False, two compound eyes and simple eyes (ocelli).

20. The mosquito has two pairs of wings, hence classified under Order Diptera (two-winged). False, the hind pair of wings has evolved into halteres or balancers.

21. The life cycle of a mosquito is of three atages – egg larva, adult. False, it undergoles pupal stage before emerging into adult.

22. Mosquitoes breed in freshwater, the wrigglers feed on plankton, True

23. Allergy caused by mosquito bite is characterized by swelling and darkening of the affected area. True

24. Bats swoop on flying insects at night, except mosquitoes which are too small to be detected. – False, in fact bats have their fill mainly on mosquitoes on flight.

25. Mosquitoes are relatives of the housefly, dragonfly, and stonefly under Order Diptera. True

Bonus Questions

• British bomber and reconnaissance - Mosquito
• Italians anti-tank rockets - Mosquito

Spiders feed on mosquitoes trapped in their web

Fish are the number one biological agent against mosquitoes.

Frogs feed on adult mosquitoes on land, and wrigglers in water.

Living with Nature in Our Times, UST-AVR 2008

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