Do vampires really exist? Nasty bloodsuckers who prey on innocent humans? Sounds a lot like mosquitoes! These flying blood bandits are always on the hunt for their next meal. But why do mosquitoes suck blood? For that matter, what do mosquitoes do with blood once they drink it? Turns out that every time a mosquito bites you, she (yes, it is just female mosquitoes that bite) sucks your blood to ensure there is a next generation of bloodsuckers! (Ugh!)
Discover the mosquitoes and blood connection that keeps these vampires longing to bite you.
The Purpose of Blood in Mosquito Reproduction
Why do mosquitoes need blood? While nearly all types of mosquitoes partake in blood meals, there’s a reason it is only female mosquitoes that drink the blood of humans and animals. The blood meal is essential for growing the eggs that will hatch into the next generation of mosquitoes. Our blood is an excellent source of the proteins, amino acids, and iron needed to nourish mosquito eggs and hatchlings. Most female mosquitoes hunt for their meals in the early morning and sunset hours, preferring to shelter during the heat of the day. At all other times, they feed on nectar and plant sap, which is all that male mosquitoes eat.
So, why do mosquitoes suck blood? The story of mosquitoes and blood is all about reproduction. Mating triggers the female mosquito’s need for a blood meal. Once she finds it, drinking blood then triggers her egg-laying while nourishing the eggs. She can lay from 3 to 10 batches of up to 200 eggs each in her lifetime. Each batch is preceded by another blood meal. That’s why only female mosquitoes need blood — to support their eggs.
So, why do mosquitoes suck our blood? They do it to produce the next generation of little bloodsuckers who will do the same thing. Yuck! Think of that the next time you swat!
What mosquitoes do with blood has nothing to do with staying alive. Male mosquitoes are vegetarian, restricting their meals to nectar from flowers. When not binging on blood, female mosquitoes, too, visit flowers for their nectar. In fact, mosquitoes are valuable pollinators for some marsh and bog plants like the blunt-leaf orchid (Platanthera obtusata).
How Do Mosquitoes Find Their Blood Meals?
Now that we know why mosquitoes suck blood, how do they go about it? How does the female find the blood to suck? She can smell her quarry from up to 60 meters away! She zeroes in on the carbon dioxide (CO2) in our breath when we exhale. She is also drawn to the scent of the chemicals in our sweat, including lactic acid and ammonia, which may reveal our blood type. Yes, mosquitoes prefer certain blood types. When the greedy little bloodsucker is within a few feet of her victim, her infrared radiation detectors lead her directly to bare skin for biting.
Since the only reason why mosquitoes suck blood is for developing and laying eggs, her behavior is rather different when she is simply feeding for herself. Then, she’s pretty chill, flying from one flower to the next in random patterns, sipping pollen as she goes. She’s more laid-back because the flowers she targets don’t fight back! However, when she has mated and needs blood to support her eggs, she becomes more aggressive, flying straight to her quarry. She is persistent, seeking a chance to bite and drink blood until she succeeds (or gets squashed!).
How Long Can Mosquitoes Survive Without Blood?
Mosquitoes seem to seek out blood like their lives depend on it. So, how long do mosquitoes live without blood? Will they die if they are deprived of blood meals for long enough?
It is a common myth that the reason why mosquitoes need blood is to give them energy to live and fly. That’s why some people wonder how long mosquitoes live without blood. But unlike the vampires they resemble, mosquitoes don’t need blood to survive — they need it to reproduce. Male mosquitoes, with their plant-based diet, live just 6 - 10 days, powered entirely by sugars in nectar and juice from overripe fruits. Female mosquitoes, however, have a lifespan of several weeks up to 5 months, depending upon environmental conditions.
While blood meals allow female mosquitoes to lay multiple egg batches, they don’t actually extend their lifespan. She’ll live her full natural life even if she never takes a blood meal. She, too, blisses out on nectar, juice, and honeydew from insects like aphids. Female mosquitoes and blood just team up to create the next generation of little bloodsuckers.
Starving a mosquito of blood doesn’t harm the individual bloodsucker, but it can slow the rate of reproduction.
What Do Mosquitoes Do with the Blood They Suck?
We know why mosquitoes need blood. When female mosquitoes drink blood, they’re not feeding themselves — they're fueling the next generation of nasty biters. We know what happens to you when a mosquito bites, although infecting you with mosquito-borne diseases is incidental. But what do mosquitoes do with the blood once they’ve sucked it up? The blood they drink is rich in proteins, amino acids, and iron, all essential to building and nourishing mosquito eggs. Once she drinks her fill (up to three times her body weight in blood!), the nutrients are processed in her midgut, where enzymes break the blood down into the building blocks for her eggs.
This digestion process triggers egg development, directing nutrients to her ovaries. She rests for a few days while her eggs develop. Then, she is ready to lay her eggs — 100 to 200 eggs at a time! Each batch requires another blood meal to kick-start the process again.
Human Blood: A Quick and Efficient Meal
OK, fine, so now we know why mosquitoes need blood. But do they really need our blood? Well, put yourself in the little bloodsucker’s position. If you were the tiny size of a spindly mosquito, would you target an animal with a thick, tough hide and lots of dense fur? Or would you settle on the bare, tender skin of an unwary human? (Yeah. That’s what we thought.)
Actually, most mosquitoes don’t bite humans. More than 3,500 mosquito species inhabit our world, and just 6% of the species feed on people. The rest pester a wide variety of mammals and birds; even reptiles are on the menu.
Protect Yourself from Blood-Seeking Mosquitoes
Now you know why mosquitoes suck blood: to ensure there is an inexhaustible supply of hungry little vampires to hunt you in the future. Eek! The best way to keep your family and pets protected is to limit the population of biters and prevent bites before they happen. That’s where Mosquito Joe® comes in.
Mosquito Joe offers proven mosquito control, including our barrier spray, mosquito misting, mosquito traps, and eco-friendly treatments to keep your yard free from the bloodsucking pests all year long. We can take your blood off the mosquitoes’ menu!
All our comprehensive pest control services are backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™ and Mosquito Joe’s Satisfaction Guarantee because we’re all about happy customers.
Request a free quote today, and we’ll banish the little vampires for you!
FAQ About Mosquitoes and Blood
Can mosquitoes survive without blood?
Yes, individual female mosquitoes — the only ones that bite and drink blood — can survive without blood. They also feed on the nectar from flowers, which supplies the food and nutrition they need. The reason female mosquitoes need blood is not for their own survival but for their eggs. Female mosquitoes rely on iron, proteins, and other amino acids in the blood to grow their eggs and hatchlings.
Why do mosquitoes want human blood?
The reason mosquitoes need blood is reproduction. They need the components of blood to produce healthy, viable eggs and hatchlings. Humans are far easier for the tiny bloodsuckers to feed from than animals with tough hides and thick coats of fur. Yet just 6% of the 3,500 species of mosquitoes prey on humans.
Is it better to let a mosquito finish biting you?
No. The moment you see a mosquito biting you, flick it away immediately. The longer the mosquito bites, the greater the chance it can transmit diseases and germs into your body. (Yuck!) There is a strange myth circulating that allowing a mosquito to finish biting means the bite won’t itch. While this sounds like pro-mosquito propaganda from Big Bug, don’t believe it.
Is it bad to smash a mosquito while it’s biting you?
Ooohhh. It’s so tempting to just smash a biting mosquito, isn’t it? But medical experts urge caution. The blood the mosquito carries may be contaminated with diseases and germs that could infect the open wound of the bite. Instead, flick the mosquito away — hard.
Do mosquitoes prefer a certain blood type?
It turns out that mosquitoes do prefer a certain blood type — type O. Scientists do not understand why female mosquitoes prefer blood type O yet, but they’re working on it. At present, we know people with type O blood who secrete antigens in their bodily fluids like sweat and tears are highly attractive to biting mosquitoes. About 80% of people are secretors, so those with type O blood are the most likely to get bitten. O, so sorry (couldn’t resist that one).
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.
