Life of a Mosquito

Knowing I need to find my next meal, I begin my journey. It is beginning to get dark, as the sun is finally setting and the air is getting cooler, especially this time of year. There is a breeze blowing, coming off the surface of the water, allowing me to see the rippling on the surface. This is my favorite time of the day to feed because I know the sun won’t be able to drain me of my energy or dehydrate me, which is important as I will be laying eggs soon. Other times, I enjoy feeding in the morning, right before the sunrise. Both times are safe for me as I have adapted and learned, but personally I enjoy the evening better. There is more activity this time of day, which makes it easier for me to feed. It also allows me to feed and then have the energy to stay out and explore. More importantly, it allows me to breed as the male mosquitos seem to enjoy coming out at night too.

As a female mosquito, I have many more food resources than male mosquitos as I’m adapted for piercing the skin of animal hosts in order to suck their blood. But because of this, almost all humans hate me and want to kill me so I know I need to be careful whenever I’m out looking for my next meal. If I am playing it safe and as long as I have the right food source, nectar or juices from plants will suffice, but sometimes it is necessary to find an animal host. Especially in my case, since it is so important for me to feed on blood so my eggs can develop correctly. If I am lucky I can find one of the many animals that hangout around  \the stream. My favorite host is one of the many species of birds around since I have easy access to the abundant species. Personally, I think the birds around the stream are the least threatening and scary species since I am so used to feeding on them. However, sometimes, human invaders will come over to the banks of the stream but I always need to make sure I am staying careful whenever I am around them. I am not sure if they are scared of me or if I am just annoying, but they seem to always want to kill me. For some reason though, I long for their blood, as it is just so tasty and refreshing.

            I finally find my meal, sucking on the blood of one of the geese resting by the stream. I notice I am among hundreds of my kind, as many other mosquitos are feeding at this time of day, as well as, feeding on the other geese. I guess they are like me and enjoy feeding at this time of the day as opposed to the early morning. I don’t blame them obviously; this time of day is just so much better. Luckily, I am able to feed on this bird, making it easier for me as I am not having to protect myself from getting killed since I am out of reach, as I sink my proboscis into the back end of the geese. My proboscis are my tube-like mouth parts that make me able to suck blood, the same apparatus that sets me apart from my male counterparts. As tempting as it is, I remember to try to stay away from the human invaders because I know that they can kill me in seconds as I’ve seen them do to many of my fellow species. It doesn’t take long to feed as I can solely focus on feeding and not protecting myself. Once I am done, I start to head back to a wet, warm, but most importantly, safe place to lay my eggs.  I am now full, receiving all the nutrients I need in order to begin fully developing my eggs. Sucking on blood is not only important for me but for my eggs as well. I know I need to find a patch of still water, in order for me to begin laying them directly on the water in a few days. I am able to find an area of still water that I feel my eggs and I will be safe. I know I will need to be comfortable as I patiently wait for my eggs to develop, so I can lay them in about a week. I finally find the perfect area and now the waiting begins.

            It has been about five days now and I have finished laying my eggs. Since this isn’t my first time laying eggs, I know to expect them to be hatched into the next stage of their life in a few days. Since we don’t travel far, I know they will stay around me, but I won’t need to care for them any longer as they will set out to breed and feed, just as I did. This pattern seems to just be a way of life for my species as that is what our life truly only consists of. However, once they do hatch, they will move on to the next stage of their life, living as larvae, where they will continue to grow. Following will be the pupa stage and then finally they will become adult mosquitos, just like I am. With more adult mosquitos around, I am excited! However, I know I need to focus again to continue feeding. Nectar and the juices from plants will suffice as my meal, but I am craving more blood for some reason, as it seems to be too addicting. I am completely rested and longing for blood so I contemplate going out to feed once again. Knowing I need the energy to continue to breed and feed, I finally gather the little energy I do have and begin searching for my next meal.

After the long week of resting in order to ensure my eggs were developed, I am finally out feeding once again, but I notice there are many more human invaders than normal. Why is this? I seem to notice they have long rods by the stream. Fishing rods maybe? As I get closer, my speculation was correct. There’s a group of people, maybe about five humans all standing on the bank of the stream along with some contraption that they threw into the water. I’ve never seen anything like that before and I’m curious as to what it is. I decide to get even closer, to try to figure out what it is. The men retrieve the contraption from the stream, and I notice there’s little fish in it. I wonder what they are going to do with fish as tiny as those. As I get closer to the stream, I realize that a lot of other mosquitos are out today. It must be the cooler weather since the sun isn’t out today, as it is being hidden by the thick clouds above. I guess this is the perfect day for the human invaders to do whatever they’re planning on doing; I am assuming they’re fishing.

I begin to notice that something else seems off about the stream today. It finally dawns on me, I see no geese and hardly any other animals, much less than normal. The human invaders must have scared them off. Most of the animals that live by the stream seem to always get scared off by the invaders, but I seem to get excited, as well as the many other mosquitos, although we know the dangers that come along with the invaders being here. I soon begin to worry though because I need to feed as I’m losing energy, especially since it has been almost a week of not feeding. With not many animals around, most importantly, the birds, I feel like I have no other choice than to try to feed on the human hosts standing on the bank of the stream. I know I need to be careful as I am scared I will die. I am finally close enough to feed, picking which host looks the most vulnerable. I decide to go for the one who seems to be preoccupied with the contraption of tiny fish. Yes! This is the perfect opportunity to finally feed on another human host since I have been waiting for so long. I keep reminding myself to be careful since my last run in with a human host was a close call. I finally decide to latch on to the back of his upper leg, right under his shorts; assuming that would be one of the safest places for me to feed. I’m once again enjoying my meal, but I feel a gust of wind as I realize his hand is coming down towards where I am on his leg. I know I’m in trouble and I brace myself. This can only mean one thing..Smack!