Unique creations of nature hide many secrets. The animal with six limbs - the mosquito-squeak - which will be discussed in this article, has an amazing multiphase life cycle and the ability to feed not only on blood. Let us consider in more detail the habitat, the structure of the body of the insect and the stage of its development.
Mosquito diet
The Piskun 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 a striking “rumor”: without ears, an adult individual is able to detect the presence of warm-blooded creatures at a distance of 30 meters. For this there is a special organ - sensitive antennae. In males they are covered with small hairs, due to which they seem like fluffy feathers.
This mechanism allows you to capture the presence of the female during the mating season, because the male does not need to search for the victim. Her main diet is natural sugars. Mosquitoes find them in the nectar of burdock, tansy and other field herbs. The female’s diet includes two components - in the period before mating, it eats, like the male.
After mating dances, the insect becomes a real scourge of warm-blooded, looking for them to get enough blood. A squeak mosquito, whose limbs in the amount of six pieces allow a sexually mature individual to sneak up on a victim unnoticed, can have a different color of the body, which contributes to its good disguise. Representatives of the species, having a brown hue, are barely distinguishable on the bark of trees, and striped individuals are perfectly hidden among the grasses in the undergrowth.
Habitat and lifestyle
Each person had to wake up from a bite or annoying squeak of mosquitoes. This suggests the conclusion about their predominant way of life. Insects prefer to get food at night, and sit in dark shelters during the day in the midst of grass, in cracks in the bark of trees.
The closer the river, swamp, lake, the more likely it is to meet countless hordes of piskuns. This is due to their life cycle, part of which takes place in the aquatic environment. Parasites are ubiquitous. You will not meet them unless in the Arctic or the desert, where they can not reproduce.
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 with benefit." Pupae turn into an adult, which flies into people's homes in search of food.
Body structure
The body of the mosquito is divided into several parts. The head is attached to the thoracic region using three shield plates. It has sensitive antennae, huge faceted eyes and an oral apparatus. In the middle part of the body is the chest, divided into three segments. The legs, abdomen and wings of the insect are attached to it. There is also a spiracle connected to the trachea.
Why do we hear a characteristic mosquito squeak? It is published by paired wings, equipped with an edge on the edges. The high frequency of vibrations is captured by the human ear in the form of a ringing sound. The parasite makes 500-1000 strokes per second. The wings consist of various veins covered with a small amount of scales.
How many limbs does a squeak mosquito have? To answer this question, you need to carefully examine the adult. Six thin legs are attached to her thoracic section. They have a rather complicated structure, allowing the insect not only to stay on the skin of the victim, but also to crawl in a plastusky 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 squeak mosquito eats blood. This liquid is rich in proteins necessary for the formation of eggs and their proper development. How much food can a bloodthirsty lady consume? A hungry mosquito weighs about 1–2 mg, and a dying mosquito weighs about 3–5 mg. To fit this amount of blood helps the special structure of the abdomen. It is divided into 10 segments interconnected by elastic membranes. With the absorption of food and the bearing of future offspring, the pleura greatly stretches.
Does the mosquito have teeth?
A detailed study of the oral apparatus of the squeak mosquito revealed its unique structure. The food organs consist of two pairs of jaws equipped with teeth. They are located in a “case” formed by elongated lips. The proboscis, piercing the skin, is equipped with stylets. In the male they are absent. In the process of feeding, the lower jaw clings its teeth to the tissue and pulls the sucking apparatus inland.
To prevent the victim from feeling threatened, the mosquito injects an anesthetic. And the place of the bite itches from the anticoagulant secreted by the insect, which prevents blood coagulation.
It is interesting that the whiskers of a squeak allow you to smell the future “donor” in several ways. The female distinguishes both body temperature and the release of CO 2 and lactic acid. The latter is synthesized by the human glands during sweating and is captured by a blood-sucking individual at a distance of up to 50 meters. The detailed structure of the head of such an insect as a mosquito-squeak (photo is presented), you can see under the multiple magnification of an electron microscope.
Breeding
Walking near the pond in the warm season, you can watch the mating mosquitoes dancing. They stray into large flocks. In this case, the female makes a characteristic squeak to attract the opposite sex. The male catches the sound and finds his pair.
At the end of the mating season, female Piskuns rather try to get enough fresh blood. They seek out the prey and absorb the source of protein for offspring. After some time, the individual lays eggs in the form of tiny boats. They are tightly glued to each other in the amount of 20-30 pieces. Mother is looking for future larvae source of stagnant water, saturated with organic matter and simple creatures. Mosquitoes are absolutely not demanding on growth conditions and can develop even in a polluted environment. Shallow ponds are suitable for them, 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. For this, the newborn bloodworm feeds on simple organisms, 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 squeak mosquito have in a larval stage? Yes, they simply do not! The slightest threat - and wriggling all over, the bloodworm will hide in the water column.
For three weeks, the larva undergoes 4 stages of molting. Their body increases in size up to 8-10 mm, elongating 8 times. After such metamorphoses, which are also accompanied by internal changes, pupae appear. They are sometimes called "little devils" because of the presence of two respiratory processes in the head. Outwardly, the bloodworm looks like a tightly folded worm resembling a comma.
The next stage of development ends in a week. Having thrown off the skin of the pupa, the mosquito spreads its wings and goes flying.
The benefits and harms of mosquitoes
In addition to the annoyance of parasites, there is a danger of infection with a bite. Together with the saliva of a squeak mosquito, some viruses are able to penetrate the human body - Japanese encephalitis, filariasis, meningitis, bird malaria. The puncture of the skin causes unbearable itching. Especially dangerous are bites for allergy sufferers, who may develop various reactions in the form of urticaria, rashes and eczema.
At the same time, mosquitoes can maintain a natural balance. Birds feed on adult insects, and larvae are a valuable food for aquarium fish. This menu is especially useful for young fish, which quickly grows up on environmentally friendly black bloodworms.