Do you know which animal kills humans the most? Shockingly, the answer is mosquitoes.
Humans are considered the most dangerous animal on planet Earth because we have conquered the planet not with physical prowess, but with immense wit and intelligence.
While apex predators like lions, tigers, crocodiles, and sharks use their powerful jaws and sharp claws to assert dominance, we humans can defeat all these mighty beasts without lifting a single finger due to the god-like technology we possess as a result of our knowledge and intelligence.
Then how does a tiny insect like a mosquito present such a huge threat to human beings? According to statistics, mosquitoes kill around 700000 human beings every year.
What are mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes are tiny insects that come from a family of small flies. The name mosquito comes from the Spanish words mosca and ito, which means little fly. They have an injection-like tube in their mouth which they pierce into other animals to suck their blood.
Where can they be found?
They are usually found in areas with stagnant water where they lay their eggs and breed more mosquitoes. They lay their eggs in the stagnant water, which then go through the process of becoming a larva, then a pupa, and eventually a full-grown mosquito.
Why are they so deadly?
They are so deadly because they carry many parasites, bacteria, and viruses that cause harmful diseases like malaria, dengue, and Zika virus. When they bite us to suck our blood, they end up transferring these parasites to our body which causes life-threatening diseases.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), people who live in unhygienic and unsanitary environments with a lot of stagnant water are at most risk of dying of a mosquito bite.
How to protect ourselves from mosquitoes
To keep ourselves safe from these deadly insects, we can take a few measures. Wearing clothing that covers our entire body and applying mosquito repellent to our skin while going outside can offer protection from mosquitoes.
Also, getting rid of stagnant water nearby ensures they have nowhere to breed. Lawn maintenance and using mosquito-repelling plants like catnip and citronella go a long way in keeping them away.