#funfactfriday Let's talk mosquitoes!! You may have heard that everything has a role to play in our ecosystems. Unfortunately , yes, this is also true for mosquitoes. Both adult and larval mosquitoes are an important food source for fish, tadpoles, bats, and birds, and larvae are also important nutrient recyclers in stagnant ponds. Despite their usefulness, mosquitoes are still SO annoying! The itchy bites are thanks to highly specializes mouthparts that can bite us without us noticing and a mild allergic reaction to their numbing saliva. But why do they need the blood? Only females will feed on mammals - or birds - for blood to nourish herself and help provide her with protein to make eggs. After feeding, she will find a water source and lay her eggs. We can't get rid of mosquitoes entirely but you can help reduce them in your yard by avoiding having standing water sources (e.g. watering cans) and planting 'smelly' plants such as mint, lavender, or marigolds. Or, you can just wear a very stylish mosquito jacket like OSS technician Sophia is here!
