MOSQUITO

 MOSQUITO

Next only to God, mosquitoes are ubiquitous and have slowly adapted to survive in hilly areas, getting associated with human inhabitations. Humans are all-out to destroy mosquitoes and have realized the impending health hazard from ‘helicopter-like’ creatures that need just enough ground to land on and draw blood –the most unobtrusive way by tucking her stylet into human flesh. My using the feminine gender  is justified ,since it is the female mosquito that thrives on human blood, while the males  use plant sap for feeding. Genders apart, mosquitoes are fast breeders and multiply the number in millions by utilizing stagnant water puddles and pools following rainfall.  I shudder to think of our fate if ever mosquitoes can avail of sea water for breeding. It is God’s infinite mercy that has kept a regulation over their potential to multiply in all water bodies.

Aedes, Anopheles and Culex are well known species among Indian mosquitoes. Each of them has typical appearance, common host targets and serve as ‘vectors’ [carrier] of disease-causing parasites.

Aedes serves to distribute CHIKUNGUNIA, DENGUE, YELLOW FEVER and LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS                                 [ Elephantiasis]

Anopheles serves to carry germs of Filariasis and Malaria Of them Filarial disease is caused by round worm [Wuchereria bancrofti] and Malalaria by one-celled Pasmodium. Plasmodium  enters the blood stream while the round worm affects the lymphatic system of the host.

Culex serves to  spread Japanese Encephalitis [ Brain fever] and Lymphatic Filariasis

Culex has a sitting posture of keeping its body parallel to the surface The body is yellowish and hairy

Aedes  keeps an angular body  posture with reference to the surface .The body is black with white patches

Anopheles sits with a  45^o angle with reference to the surface. The body is yellowish

In a broad sense, these mosquitoes resemble different brands of Air craft parked on Tarmac

Generally male mosquitoes are known to live for a week while the females can last from 5 weeks to 4 or 5 months .

Since mosquitoes leave their eggs in water, their larvae survive in water until development before emergence. They normally emerge in dim light of dusk..

The most logical method to control mosquito propagation should discourage small water collection in open vessels , left over shallow containers like coconut shells, unused vehicle Tyres  with shallow pockets holding rain water etc. Any open vessel left inverted is better for avoiding breeding spots of mosquitoes. Tyres are better left flat on the floor instead of leaning them on walls. Fine meshes mounted on to windows and door ways can minimize mosquito entry.  Use of mosquito repellent creams is better than smoky coils or chemical coated repellents.

Neem leaves/ neem oil can give off odour offensive to mosquitoes and are better than organic repellents.  Dark corners , folds of cloth are places where adult mosquitoes hide by day and later have a field-day at night. They are the unknown Shylocks who insist on drawing blood , though not flesh. Incidentally, we do not hear much about bed bugs these days.

Prof. K.Raman