Only Female Mosquitoes Bite

The dietary needs of mosquitoes are surprisingly diverse and are dictated by gender. Both males and females subsist on plant nectar and fruit juices, which provide the necessary sugars for energy to fly and carry out their daily activities. This makes them pollinators in their ecosystems, a role not commonly associated with these insects. However, for the continuation of the species, the female mosquito requires a different, more specific type of meal. It is this unique nutritional requirement that brings them into contact with humans and other animals.

The reason for the female's bite lies in her reproductive biology. In order to produce and develop her eggs, she needs a significant amount of protein and iron, which are readily available in the blood of vertebrates. Her mouthparts, unlike the male's, are specifically adapted for piercing skin and drawing blood. After a successful blood meal, a female can lay up to 300 eggs. To locate a host, she employs a sophisticated set of senses, detecting the carbon dioxide we exhale from over 150 feet away, as well as our body heat and specific skin odors.