Many people are unaware of how dangerous mosquitos can be to your health.  The actual bite of a mosquito is not what can hurt you, although a bite can be a big annoyance because it may itch like crazy.  Unfortunately, there is an even bigger danger associated with mosquitos, and that is that they often carry diseases like malaria and West Nile virus.  If an infected mosquito bites you, you could suffer far worse problems than just a red bump.

The word mosquito is Spanish for �little fly�.  Like flies, they have two wings, but their wings have scales and the female mosquitos have a long proboscis to pierce the skin.  When a mosquito bites, it is actually piercing the skin and injecting it with saliva to help it digest its food.  Most mosquitoes live near standing water sources, as this is primarily where they breed; the females lay eggs in the water.

Only the female mosquitos actually bite.  They are attracted to humans because of body odor, perspiration, carbon dioxide, heat, and lactic acid.  Once she has injected her saliva, she will start sucking your blood until her abdomen is full or she is disturbed.  If you have been bitten, wash the area immediately with soap and water.