Mosquitoes have the notorious (and well-deserved) reputation of being bloodsucking fiends. But did you know that only the female mosquito is out for your blood? It's true! Female mosquitoes seek out a blood meal to get the nourishment necessary to lay eggs. So, that begs the question, what do male mosquitoes eat?
Turns out that the male mosquito's diet is entirely vegetarian. Male mosquitoes never bite people or animals. In fact, their role in the ecosystem is limited to mating with females to fertilize the eggs, pollinating various flowers, and feeding a variety of critters, including birds, frogs, and lizards.
Let's explore the male mosquito diet and other male mosquito facts with the experts at Mosquito Joe®. Learn more about different types of mosquitoes here.
The Plant-Based Diet of Male Mosquitoes
So, if they don't bite people and suck their blood, what do male mosquitoes eat? The male mosquito's diet is primarily made up of the pollen and nectar of flowers. In fact, male mosquitoes are pollinators! They also feed on honeydew, a sugary substance secreted by sap-sucking insects like whiteflies, aphids, and scale insects. Periodically, they spice up their menu with juices from overripe — or even rotting — fruit.
This peaceful, non-violent male mosquito diet provides all the nutrients these gentle insects require to thrive. It is the blood-thirsty females that have made mosquitoes the most hated pests in the world.
Why Male Mosquitoes Don't Bite Humans
We know the surprising answer to the question, "What do male mosquitoes eat?" Their vegetarian diet of pollen, plant sap, nectar, and the juices of rotting fruit satisfies all their biological needs. Male mosquitoes live fast and die young, fueled by the high-sugar male mosquito diet. The males hatch, feast on nectar for a couple of days, then hunt down females to mate with. These tiny Casanovas mate with four to six females in rapid succession, then they die. How's this for a strange male mosquito fact? Male mosquitoes live just 6-10 days, completing the mosquito lifecycle in less than two weeks, while females can live for five months or even longer.
The concentrated sugars in male mosquito food nourish their high-octane lifestyle. Meanwhile, female mosquitoes mate just once in their comparatively long life. They store the male's sperm to fertilize 2-4 batches (up to 300 eggs in each) in her lifetime. A female mosquito requires a blood meal to lay each batch of eggs. Other than blood meals to support her egg-laying, female mosquitoes follow the male mosquito diet of pollen, nectar, plant sap, and fruit juice.
The Role of Male Mosquitoes in the Ecosystem
While it may seem that the only good mosquito is a squashed one, male mosquitoes do more than father bloodsucking little biters. Adhering to a male mosquito diet includes feeding on flowers. Male mosquitoes spread pollen from one bloom to another, working as pollinators. Unlike bees, however, male mosquitoes are scrawny, spindly, and practically bald, so they are unable to carry large loads of pollen at a time. Between these physical shortcomings and their brief lifespans, they are considered incidental pollinators at best.
Male mosquitoes have an additional role to play in any ecosystem they inhabit: prey. Mosquitoes are eaten by a wide range of critters, including birds, lizards, frogs, fish, bats, spiders, and dragonflies.
Because the male mosquito's diet does not include blood and they never bite people, some consider them harmless insects serving their own purpose in nature. Just remember, without the peace-loving male mosquitoes, we would have no bloodsucking females!
Interesting Facts About Male Mosquitoes
Learning the answer to "What do male mosquitoes eat?" is what brought you here, but stick around for some additional cool male mosquito facts! For instance, did you know there are billions and billions of mosquitoes worldwide? Here are some more interesting tidbits:
- Male mosquitoes don't transmit disease. Since they don't bite humans or animals to suck their blood, they do not transmit diseases as the females do.
- Male Mosquitoes are the first to hatch. This gives them a head start on feeding before the females appear.
- Male mosquitoes have sensory superpowers. They have highly sensitive antennae tuned to detect the wingbeat frequency of female mosquitoes. They can even identify their own species just by the pitch of the females' wing beats.
- Male mosquitoes are sneaky sugar thieves. Although the male mosquito diet makes them seem well-behaved, males are known to steal sugary honeydew produced by aphids and scale insects — even those being herded and fiercely guarded by ants!
We've already debunked common myths about male mosquitoes biting people or having no role in the ecosystem. At Mosquito Joe, we deal in mosquito facts, not fancy. (Besides, the facts are pretty cool!)
Keep Male Mosquitoes Away While Protecting the Environment
Since the answer to the question "What do male mosquitoes eat" clarifies that they don't bite people, suck their blood, or spread disease, you might think they should be protected like other pollinators. But this position overlooks the truth. Without male mosquitoes, there would be no disease-spreading, bloodsucking females! So, Mosquito Joe's professional mosquito control services target males and females alike. At the same time, we take our pollinator protection very seriously, and we provide multiple eco-friendly pest control options.
When you turn to Mosquito Joe for pest control services, we will tailor our work to your specific property and needs. You can count on complete satisfaction with our services because the Neighborly Done Right Promise® backs everything we do.
Request your free estimate online, and we'll send male and female mosquitoes packing.
This article is intended for general guidance only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your property and your situation. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of any advice or guidance derived from blog content. For the most accurate guidance, contact an independently owned and operated Mosquito Joe for more information and a professional on-site assessment.
