Page 15 - The Miracle in the Mosquito

s the rainy season approaches, there is a surge of ac-
tivity in the dried-up ponds. These are ideal breeding
places for the mosquitoes. At the bottom of ponds and
A in every hollow that is likely to fill up with water,
mosquitoes can be seen on the move, but they are walking around
rather than flying, as though intent on finding something.
Mosquitoes, normally thought of as fliers, present an inter-
esting sight as they try to walk over obstacles that are like moun-
tain peaks compared to their own size. All at once, thousands of
mosquitoes go into action, as though they have received an order
from somewhere. Now it is time for them to do their duty.

The long journey of the detector mosquitoes...
Mother mosquitoes have to find a suitable place for their
eggs. The young emerging from their eggs need water in order to
complete their stages of growth. This can be a muddy pool left by
the rain, a swamp, a paddy field, a swimming pool or even a few
drops of water in a tin can. Mosquitoes have a preference for still

water, as this kind of water contains plants that can photosynthe-
sise and thus enrich the water with oxygen, which is one of the
most important requirements of the larvae.
The mosquito eggs can develop in any environment where
there is water, but even so, a certain set of conditions is required. The
hatching larvae have to go through various stages of development
before they become mature mosquitoes, and at each stage the young
mosquitoes have different needs. Moreover, drought or severe heat
can hinder the development of the eggs. For this reason, the mother
mosquito has to find an environment in which the young she will
produce can comfortably complete their development.
So how does the mosquito find the most suitable environ-
ment? By sight, by smell, by guesswork, or by coincidence?

13