Foto: Krzysztof Rybczyński

Mosquito (Culex pipiens)

The Latin name comes from the sound of the flying insect. It performs approx. 600 wing beats per second. The mosquito has up to 6 mm in size, transparent wings, and two longitudinal stripes on the back. It is numerous in river valleys and areas with small water bodies. For its development it needs water and cozy temperatures (20-25 °C). In favorable conditions, a new generation develops in just 2 weeks. It breeds even in contaminated bodies and in total darkness. During the summer mosquitoes appear en masse and are a very troublesome plague. The bigger nuisance are the females which for the development of eggs need protein from the blood of the host. The female is attracted by the warmth of our bodies, the smell of sweat and the carbon dioxide exhaled by us. Using the proboscis consisting of six stilettos it easily cuts the skin, and then injects a drop of saliva into the wound, which prevents blood from clotting. We can defend ourselves against the female mosquitoes by using repellents and suitable, preferably bright clothing. Let’s remember to never drive away mosquitoes because the large eyes of the insect perfectly record the movement and such a behavior exposes us to their even more intense attacks.