Recent research suggests that male mosquitoes can be just as bloodthirsty as females in certain situations, challenging the traditional belief that only female mosquitoes feed on blood and spread diseases. Male Culex tarsalis and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, typically uninterested in blood, have been observed taking blood meals when deprived of sugar due to low humidity levels. This discovery was made by a graduate student in entomologist Jason Rasgon’s lab at Penn State, who noticed male mosquitoes feeding on blood through an artificial membrane when their usual nectar meals were withheld. Curious about their behavior towards humans, Rasgon conducted an experiment where dehydrated males attempted to feed on his skin when he placed his hand inside their cages. Surprisingly, one mosquito even managed to bite him lightly, penetrating the first layer of skin.
Date: 2024-10-25 10:00:00
Source: Post from www.sciencenews.org