During the summer season, picnickers have to stock up on mosquito repellents. Little bloodsuckers can not only ruin your vacation, but also cause trouble. About 20,000,000 people die from malaria every year. Mostly these are children. Insects are carriers of other dangerous diseases, including certain types of fevers. Millions of people around the world dream that little “vampires” will become completely extinct. It turns out that not everyone is bothered by these squeaky insects. There are countries on earth where there are no mosquitoes.
Who are they - little bloodsuckers?
Mosquitoes belong to the family of dipterous insects. All their representatives are characterized by oral organs, represented by the upper and lower lips, forming a sheath. It has 2 pairs of jaws in the form of thin needles. Males differ from females: their jaws are underdeveloped, so they cannot bite.
There are about 3,000 species of mosquitoes on earth, of which 100 live in Russia. Blood-sucking insects are distributed throughout the world. But there are places where there are no mosquitoes at all.
It is the female that feeds on human blood. She is a carrier of infections and dangerous diseases. A mosquito evaluates the attractiveness of a human individual based on several “points.” Among them are the body's natural aroma, the presence of perfume and blood type. If you are wondering where these “vampires” come from, we recommend reading this article: https://fb.ru/article/342153/otkuda-beretsya-komar-skolko-jivet-komar-obyiknovennyiy.
Weather
The number of mosquitoes depends on the ambient temperature - the lower it is, the fewer mosquitoes you can find. However, recently the mosquito range has undergone significant mutation. Insects are beginning to adapt to harsher climate conditions. Scientists say that after some time, mosquitoes may colonize the territory of Antarctica.
In areas with a humid climate and warm fresh water bodies, bloodsuckers pose the greatest danger. Mosquitoes have taken root well in the taiga, where large amounts of rainfall regularly occur. Many of these insects live in stagnant waters with a large number of different bacteria and viruses. It is because of this that mosquitoes become carriers of dangerous diseases.
Countries without mosquitoes
Many do not believe that such places exist on the planet. It is known that insects do not like cold regions because they are unsuitable for their life and reproduction. So where in the world are there no mosquitoes?
- Antarctica is cold there all year round.
- Iceland - the exact reasons for the absence of small bloodsuckers in the country have not been established.
- Faroe Islands - due to the climate.
If the first point does not raise questions, then I would like to hear reasonable explanations for the second and third. Scientists are still figuring out the exact reasons for the absence of blood-sucking insects in Iceland. Today they put forward the following versions:
- A peculiarity of the Icelandic climate, which is characterized by frequent alternations of cold and heat.
- Chemical composition of the soil.
- Waters of the country.
Mosquitoes do not live on the Faroe Islands due to the peculiarities of the ocean climate (which scientists do not explain exactly).
Morgan Island with sick monkeys
In the US state of South Carolina there is Morgan Island, which has never been inhabited by people. Previously, this place was considered bad because there were no comfortable living conditions and it was too far from large continents. But today it is impossible to get to this island, even if you really want to. The fact is that on its territory there are about 5 thousand macaques, all of which are infected with herpes. This is the name of a viral disease in which blisters appear on the skin and mucous membranes of the body. At the same time, they itch and cause pain. The disease is highly contagious and there is no effective cure for it.
All the monkeys on Morgan Island are infected with herpes
Monkeys infected with herpes have appeared in Puerto Rico. They were kept at the Caribbean Primate Research Center and escaped one day. They began to multiply and infect local residents, so the authorities decided to catch them all and send them to some remote island. The choice fell on Morgan Island, where no one ever wanted to live. Only employees of medical centers are allowed to visit this place for research. But for ordinary people the path is closed, but hardly anyone wants to be there.
What a mosquito doesn't like
Iceland is a European country where there are no mosquitoes. But you shouldn’t go there just to enjoy the absence of these annoying insects. Let's find out the main factors that irritate and repel mosquitoes.
Little “vampires” prefer victims who are intoxicated. This is due to the peculiar smell that comes from their skin. Strong drinks make the human body warm, moisturized, and, in the summer, sticky. All these moments are very attractive to mosquitoes.
Blood-sucking insects do not like citrus aroma, dryness, or smoke. In places where there is a frequent concentration of mosquitoes, it is recommended to light a fire and have plants with a bitter citrus smell. Little “vampires” love water very much. They lay larvae near water sources. Therefore, dry places will not be attractive to them.
Where are there no mosquitoes yet? They are wary of places where picaridin is present. This is a synthetic compound that was developed from a plant that resembles hot peppers. It is added to preparations used to protect against mosquitoes. It keeps insects at a distance.
How to protect children and adults from mosquito attacks
Of course, you can completely exterminate all mosquitoes and then life will sparkle with new colors. But don't forget that mosquitoes are part of the food chain. By exterminating them, other living beings will die, which will disrupt the ecosystem. In order to escape from mosquitoes, several methods are used, strictly taking into account the age category
Folk remedies
The most popular are the effects of essential oils with a pungent odor (cloves, rosemary, anise and a number of others). Pour boiling water over 2-3 teaspoons of one of these oils and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Respelents
This group of funds is divided into several groups:
- used indoors – fumigators and fumigants. They completely destroy mosquitoes. The effect lasts 8-12 hours;
- personal use – creams, aerosols, lotions. They are applied to the skin. Valid for 2-4 hours;
- used only on the streets - pyrotechnic spirals and ignition candles. They are valid up to 20 sq. meters.
You can get rid of mosquitoes for a while, but they cannot be completely exterminated - it is dangerous for the ecosystem.
What happens if mosquitoes disappear
A mass extinction of flies on earth would be considered an environmental disaster. The complete disappearance of blood-sucking insects also poses a considerable danger. We know which country has no mosquitoes - Iceland. And the people living there do not face environmental problems. But this is the exception rather than the rule. If there were no mosquitoes on the ground, the following unpleasant moments would arise:
- Many species of fish have disappeared from the lakes.
- In reservoirs, the number of plants that feed on the larvae of blood-sucking insects has decreased.
- Plants pollinated by mosquitoes have disappeared.
- Some bird species have left the cities. Among them are swallows and swifts. Bird populations in the Arctic tundra would also decline.
- The number of other “vampires” has increased: horseflies, ticks, deer bloodsuckers, midges, and land leeches.
Yes, there are places on earth where there are no mosquitoes. But there are few of them. People should not strive to increase their number. The disappearance of blood-sucking insects will become a source of new environmental problems. Therefore, they cannot be completely exterminated. Any living organism was not conceived by nature in vain. In addition to harm, it brings many benefits to humans.
How to protect children and adults from mosquito attacks
Of course, you can completely exterminate all mosquitoes and then life will sparkle with new colors. But don't forget that mosquitoes are part of the food chain. By exterminating them, other living beings will die, which will disrupt the ecosystem. In order to escape from mosquitoes, several methods are used, strictly taking into account the age category
Folk remedies
The most popular are the effects of essential oils with a pungent odor (cloves, rosemary, anise and a number of others). Pour boiling water over 2-3 teaspoons of one of these oils and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Respelents
This group of funds is divided into several groups:
- used indoors – fumigators and fumigants. They completely destroy mosquitoes. The effect lasts 8-12 hours;
- personal use – creams, aerosols, lotions. They are applied to the skin. Valid for 2-4 hours;
- used only on the streets - pyrotechnic spirals and ignition candles. They are valid up to 20 sq. meters.
You can get rid of mosquitoes for a while, but they cannot be completely exterminated - it is dangerous for the ecosystem.
An abnormally warm winter will come back to haunt us: We will face an invasion of ticks, but a summer without mosquitoes
Users of social networks have already reported: spring is just beginning, and ticks have already woken up and are looking for something to eat. And as evidence they post photo reports of country walks. People are wondering what the abnormally warm winter will do to us: will we face an invasion of some kind of reptiles, as happened after the drought of 2010, when a prolific typograph beetle ate a fair part of the forests near Moscow? How will the behavior (and appetites!) of bears who have not had time to sleep properly over the winter change? How did the hares survive the winter, unmasked by the winter without snow?
What happened in the animal world after the warm winter is explained to KP by experts Vadim Maryinsky, a researcher at the Department of General Ecology and Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, and Elena Litvinova, Candidate of Biological Sciences, researcher at the Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University.
The ticks have already woken up
“The fact is that a tick is a very small creature, for which it is not so much the weather in general that is important, but the specific conditions in the place where the tick lives,” says Vadim Maryinsky. “Even if there is snow in the forest, and the edge has already warmed up, then ticks may wake up and look for food. There is no need to panic; the unusually warm winter of 2022 will not affect the number of ticks in any way. There will be exactly the same number of them as always. But, indeed, they can wake up earlier. But if the average daily temperature confidently exceeds zero, then a meeting with ticks is certainly guaranteed. When going out into the forest, do not forget to dress and put on shoes appropriately. (How exactly to defend yourself and what to do if you do “catch” a tick.)
The beginning of summer can be without mosquitoes
— The fact that the winter was warm and with little snow, at least in central Russia, may have the most significant consequences for the world of insects, arachnids and, in general, for small creatures whose life is connected with soil and water bodies. Mosquito larvae develop in water, and they do this most effectively in small stagnant bodies of water where there are no fish, that is, in puddles,” says Vadim Maryinsky. “And here the dependence is simple and understandable: the more puddles in the spring that stand at least two to three weeks, the more mosquitoes can hatch. If the spring is dry, there will be fewer mosquitoes than usual at the beginning of summer.
Will bears be more aggressive?
“Everything is fine with the bears,” Elena Litvinova assured KP. “The duration of their hibernation varies depending on many factors, not just temperature.” Early emergence from hibernation has absolutely nothing to do with aggression. And the warm winter had little effect on other mammals. The lack of snow somewhat worsened the camouflage of the hares, but it was easier to escape from predators; you wouldn’t get stuck in the snow. Higher temperatures made it easier for animals to winter and it was easier to feed themselves.
Baltic seal and harp seal affected
“An option when an anomalous winter really has a strong negative effect on mammals is the situation with the birth of pups from seals in the Baltic Sea and from harp seals in the White Sea,” says biologist Elena Litvinova. “In these species of pinnipeds, pups are born in late February - early March, in the ice. Newborn seal pups (whites) do not know how to swim and die if they fall into the water. This winter, the ice situation in both the Baltic and White Seas is critical, there is practically no ice (and small areas of existing ice are very thin and easily destroyed by storms), so a significant, if not most, part of the newborn seal pups are doomed to death either in the water or from predators if the female gives birth to a calf on the shore in the absence of ice.
TO THE POINT
The winter that never happened: What climate anomalies from Moscow to Antarctica say
"KP" together with meteorologists sums up the results of the past record winter (details)
Why the weather has gone crazy and is setting records one after another
Extremely warm and terry red (according to the color of synoptic maps showing temperature anomalies) - these are the epithets used by acting acting director to describe this winter. Director of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia Roman Vilfand. Although it could be said simpler. There is no winter in Moscow. And not only in Moscow, throughout the European part of Russia. (details)
