Comments on: How to tell whether a mosquito is male or female (without getting bitten) http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: CriticalDragon1177 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1646637 CriticalDragon1177 Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1646637 Ken Williams, Its not a sex organ.  It sounds more like the male mosquito is able to track down females using his equivalent of our ears. Ken Williams,

Its not a sex organ.  It sounds more like the male mosquito is able to track down females using his equivalent of our ears.

]]> By: CriticalDragon1177 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1646626 CriticalDragon1177 Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1646626 Timothy Chase I think I would as well, especially with all the Malaria going around in parts of the world. Timothy Chase

I think I would as well, especially with all the Malaria going around in parts of the world.

]]> By: CriticalDragon1177 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1646627 CriticalDragon1177 Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1646627  DaneelGood question, except it really wouldn't matter much after they're dead, but better safe than sorry, I guess.  DaneelGood question, except it really wouldn’t matter much after they’re dead, but better safe than sorry, I guess.

]]> By: Timothy Chase http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1645053 Timothy Chase Sun, 03 Feb 2013 19:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1645053 According to a university website Wikipedia links to, "Sometimes, crane flies are referred to as 'skeeter eaters.'  This is an interesting name, but crane flies are not predators and do not eat mosquitoes (not as adults, anyway: some larval crane flies are predatory, and may occasionally eat mosquito larvae)." http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/flies/craneflies/craneflies.htm According to a university website Wikipedia links to, “Sometimes, crane flies are referred to as ‘skeeter eaters.’  This is an interesting name, but crane flies are not predators and do not eat mosquitoes (not as adults, anyway: some larval crane flies are predatory, and may occasionally eat mosquito larvae).”

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/flies/craneflies/craneflies.htm

]]> By: Timothy Chase http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1645038 Timothy Chase Sun, 03 Feb 2013 18:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1645038 I swat first, ask questions later. I swat first, ask questions later.

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644645 Ito Kagehisa Sat, 02 Feb 2013 19:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644645 Many cranefly larvae are turf pests; but whilst looking up the aquatic types, in response to your post, I found the delightful fact that all cranefly larvae (both terrestrial and aquatic) are called <i>leatherjackets</i>, which describes the ones I have in my lawn and garden very well. Many cranefly larvae are turf pests; but whilst looking up the aquatic types, in response to your post, I found the delightful fact that all cranefly larvae (both terrestrial and aquatic) are called leatherjackets, which describes the ones I have in my lawn and garden very well.

]]> By: Bill McGonigle http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644365 Bill McGonigle Sat, 02 Feb 2013 04:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644365 Male mosquitoes may not bite but they do make more biting mosquitoes.  Show our predators and parasites no quarter. Male mosquitoes may not bite but they do make more biting mosquitoes.  Show our predators and parasites no quarter.

]]> By: Ken Williams http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644320 Ken Williams Sat, 02 Feb 2013 03:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644320 You're telling me the male can seek out females by using his Johnston's organ? You’re telling me the male can seek out females by using his Johnston’s organ?

]]> By: Paul Renault http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644313 Paul Renault Sat, 02 Feb 2013 03:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644313 Bill Cosby used to have a routine where he explained that only male mosquitoes made a sound when flying, the females are perfectly quiet. "So if you wake up in the middle of the night and you hear a buzzing sound, just relax, and go back to sleep, there's no need to worry. But if you <i>don't</i> hear any buzzing..." Bill Cosby used to have a routine where he explained that only male mosquitoes made a sound when flying, the females are perfectly quiet.

“So if you wake up in the middle of the night and you hear a buzzing sound, just relax, and go back to sleep, there’s no need to worry.

But if you don’t hear any buzzing…”

]]> By: wallflower http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644157 wallflower Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644157 Indeed.  The Biologist raises Antheraea polyphemus & Hyalophora cecropia every year. "Here's how to tell the difference."   Bugs ARE pretty cool. Indeed.  The Biologist raises Antheraea polyphemus & Hyalophora cecropia every year. “Here’s how to tell the difference.”  

Bugs ARE pretty cool.

]]> By: chenille http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644153 chenille Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644153 As Ito says, adult craneflies don't eat mosquitoes, and I've seen books that say some don't eat at all and are just a short-lived dispersal stage like mayflies. However, cranefly <i>larvae</i> are aquatic predators and may eat mosquito larvae, so they could be good to have around anyway. As Ito says, adult craneflies don’t eat mosquitoes, and I’ve seen books that say some don’t eat at all and are just a short-lived dispersal stage like mayflies.

However, cranefly larvae are aquatic predators and may eat mosquito larvae, so they could be good to have around anyway.

]]> By: Stan Hughes http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644099 Stan Hughes Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644099 Around Lake Okeechobee, where I grew up, the pioneers (and some of the old-timers) called make mosquitoes 'chizzy-winks' and were thankful they couldn't bite.  Still, they were numerous enough to put out kerosene or oil lamps on catfishing boats.  I was there a few years back, and on the lake shore I saw a bunch of old milk cartons covered in them.  They looked furry. Around Lake Okeechobee, where I grew up, the pioneers (and some of the old-timers) called make mosquitoes ‘chizzy-winks’ and were thankful they couldn’t bite.  Still, they were numerous enough to put out kerosene or oil lamps on catfishing boats.  I was there a few years back, and on the lake shore I saw a bunch of old milk cartons covered in them.  They looked furry.

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644090 Ito Kagehisa Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644090  It is not.  They eat sugars.  It is not.  They eat sugars.

]]> By: Benjamin Palmer http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644022 Benjamin Palmer Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644022 I always knew them as Mosquito Hawks (which Wikipedia redirects to Crane Flies! Same thing many names). I had been told that they were good to have around, because they hunt mosquitoes but do not bite people. I've never been bit by one, but never seen them hunting mosquitoes, I wonder if that part is true.  I always knew them as Mosquito Hawks (which Wikipedia redirects to Crane Flies! Same thing many names). I had been told that they were good to have around, because they hunt mosquitoes but do not bite people. I’ve never been bit by one, but never seen them hunting mosquitoes, I wonder if that part is true. 

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1644023 Ito Kagehisa Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1644023 You can tell male and female moths apart by their antennae, too. The females have simple whip-like antennae, but males have antennae like bottle-brushes, which increases the surface area able to pick up the female's pheromones.  There are a few exceptions to this, though; unusual species like the Black Witch (<i>Ascalapha odorata</i>, or <i>mariposa de la muerte</i> if you're Mexican). The Black Witch is also very unusual (for a moth) in that it purposefully makes sounds, and this is generally advanced as an "explanation" for the lack of fuzz on the males' antennae. Bugs are endlessly interesting! You can tell male and female moths apart by their antennae, too.

The females have simple whip-like antennae, but males have antennae like bottle-brushes, which increases the surface area able to pick up the female’s pheromones.  There are a few exceptions to this, though; unusual species like the Black Witch (Ascalapha odorata, or mariposa de la muerte if you’re Mexican).

The Black Witch is also very unusual (for a moth) in that it purposefully makes sounds, and this is generally advanced as an “explanation” for the lack of fuzz on the males’ antennae.

Bugs are endlessly interesting!

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1643994 Ito Kagehisa Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1643994  Mosquitos come in many sizes, but generally speaking the males and females are roughly the same size.  At least to the human eye. Around here, we have small stripy salt-marsh skeeters that can bite through denim, and larger (about 2x) freshwater ones that can't.  I forget the genera - <i>culex</i> and <i>anopheles</i>, maybe?  Mosquitos come in many sizes, but generally speaking the males and females are roughly the same size.  At least to the human eye.

Around here, we have small stripy salt-marsh skeeters that can bite through denim, and larger (about 2x) freshwater ones that can’t.  I forget the genera – culex and anopheles, maybe?

]]> By: Ed Gruberman http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1643975 Ed Gruberman Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1643975 I too grew up with everyone telling me that "those are male mosquitoes, they don't bite," but they're actually Crane Flies. It is true they don't bite I too grew up with everyone telling me that “those are male mosquitoes, they don’t bite,” but they’re actually Crane Flies. It is true they don’t bite

]]> By: aperturehead http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1643972 aperturehead Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1643972 A picnic on the beach wouldn't be the same without them. Worse than having blood sucked out from under one's tender epidermal regions by mosquitos, is having one or several of them nagging at one's ears while sleeping...bzzzzz, bzzzzsowwwwzzz..... A picnic on the beach wouldn’t be the same without them. Worse than having blood sucked out from under one’s tender epidermal regions by mosquitos, is having one or several of them nagging at one’s ears while sleeping…bzzzzz, bzzzzsowwwwzzz…..

]]> By: Sept http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1643966 Sept Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1643966 Don't think many people will first look closely at mosquitos sitting on them to identify if they are dangerous or not, because they are seen by many as just annoying and the possibility of a bite is there. The clap of the hand is there and is able to kill them with a pretty hight possibility to kill them before they bite. However first taking a closer looks makes the risk higher to get bitten if it is a female one, so don't think many will bother. Don’t think many people will first look closely at mosquitos sitting on them to identify if they are dangerous or not, because they are seen by many as just annoying and the possibility of a bite is there. The clap of the hand is there and is able to kill them with a pretty hight possibility to kill them before they bite. However first taking a closer looks makes the risk higher to get bitten if it is a female one, so don’t think many will bother.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1643963 Antinous / Moderator Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1643963 Aren't the gentleman mosquitoes the ones that are 100 times the size of the lady mosquitoes? Aren’t the gentleman mosquitoes the ones that are 100 times the size of the lady mosquitoes?

]]> By: Daneel http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/how-to-tell-whether-a-mosquito.html#comment-1643951 Daneel Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210203#comment-1643951 Can I check after I squish them? Not going to waste time beforehand. Can I check after I squish them? Not going to waste time beforehand.

]]>