A Moment of Science
There are many myths about mosquito bite cures, like using banana peels or toothpaste.
Have you ever stopped to wonder, mid-scratch, exactly why scratching is so effective against itching? Learn more on this Moment of Science.
After you cover your body in bug spray, you might wonder, just how does this stuff work, and if mosquitoes don't like it, what is it doing to my body?
In the last few years, a scourge from the Middle East has posed a biological threat to North American well-being–mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus.
The difference in pain is due to the way each insect obtains blood. Mosquitoes have mouth parts that are highly modified for piercing; they have a sharp proboscis, a prominent tube-like part that extends from their head and houses organs known as stylets which work like hypodermic needles to penetrate the skin and suck up your blood.
What turns the mosquito on are goodies like carbon dioxide, heat, moisture, and lactic acid, which is secreted in sweat. These four elements make our bodies prime targets for the mosquito’s bite.
However, mosquitoes, contrary to poplar belief, are not bugs. Another factor that comes into play is the fact that baby true bugs look like small wingless versions of adult true bugs.
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