How Many Times Can a Mosquito Bite You?
Many of us, at one time or another, have attended an event or outdoor activity and arrived home to discover we have multiple mosquito bites to show for our outdoor fun. However, what we don’t know is, was our itchy affliction caused by one, or multiple mosquitoes? Can one mosquito bite multiple times or is there no limit to the number of times one mosquito can bite?
To answer these pressing questions, we must take a closer look at who is doing the biting and why.
A Blood Thirsty Princess
When it comes to mosquitoes, it’s the female of the species that inflicts the most damage on us humans. In fact, a female mosquito can keep biting you and feeding on your blood until she is full. A blood-thirsty female can bite an unsuspecting victim up to five or six times a day.
Here’s the math: Common types of female mosquitoes weigh about 2 milligrams and can drink three times their weight in blood. In a single feeding session, they drain .001 to .01 mL of blood, which weighs 1 to 10 milligrams. So, an individual mosquito could bite up to five times before she’s full.
This calculation assumes that nobody interrupted (i.e., swatted) the mosquito while she is doing her thing. And in case you didn’t know: The males don’t bite or feed on blood.
Do Mosquitoes Die After They Bite You?
No. They don’t die from biting, no matter how much they bite. In fact, they thrive. To successfully reproduce, a female mosquito needs protein, amino acids, and other nourishment from blood. So she has blood meals throughout her entire adult life: four to eight weeks. She produces eggs throughout that time, whenever she has sufficient nourishment.
Besides humans, female mosquitoes feed on the blood of songbirds, waterfowl, amphibians, snakes, other reptiles, and mammals such as raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, horses, and cattle. However, many types of mosquitoes do seem to prefer feeding on humans. That’s likely because we’re easier to find, as we exhale a lot of CO2 and produce other distinct odors that these highly sensitive insects can detect.
Related Topic: What Do Male Mosquitoes Eat?
How Many Mosquito Bites Is Dangerous?
Yes, mosquito bites are annoying, itchy, and uncomfortable, but excluding cases of mosquito-borne illness and/or severe allergies, it’s unlikely that multiple mosquito bites will cause any serious issues for you. So, if one mosquito decides to make you an all-you-can-eat buffet, don’t worry too much about it.
Don’t cancel your next outdoor gathering trip or barbeque!
Mosquitoes and other pests can quickly ruin an outdoor gathering or a quiet afternoon in the yard. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take back your yard and make the outdoors fun again with a call to your local pest control pros at Mosquito Joe. Our mosquito barrier spray can keep the biters at bay for up to 21 days. We also offer pest control and can even install a high-quality misting system that allows you and your family to enjoy your yard fully and freely. To learn more, give us a call at 1-855-275-2563, or visit us online today.
