Five Fascinating Facts About Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes fly at speeds been 1mph and 1.5 mph.That, of course, means it would take a mosquito between five and seven hours just to travel from Grand Junction to Fruita. For years, we have heard the phrase 'slow as a snail'. Maybe it's time to give Mr. Slug a break and start putting the 'slow' rap on Mr. Mosquito.

The fact is, mosquitoes don't buzz. (and we're not even sure that bees actually buzz.) That sound you hear, just before you whack yourself in the ear in a feeble attempt to annihilate a mosquito is actually the sound of its wings beating 300-600 times per minute. I wonder if their wings get tired.

Most mosquitoes, after they are born or hatched, stay pretty close to home. However, some mosquitoes are known to travel great distances to find suitable nectar and blood. In fact, salt marsh mosquitoes may travel as far as 100 miles to find a new home.

Mosquitoes need water to breed and it only takes a few inches. If you have a mosquito problem around your house, check for standing water like bird baths, rain gutters, and items that may be holding water where they can drop their eggs. If eliminating these breeding ground water sources doesn't reduce your mosquito population, you might try NO TRESPASSING signs.

The average mosquito only lives five to six months, so you're not going to find one in a long-term relationship.  I wonder if they "know" they don't have long to live? Of course, maybe for a mosquito one week feels like a  year, maybe in the mosquito world living to six months is like a human living to be 100.