What is the difference between a normal mosquito and a malaria mosquit

Mosquitoes are the most menacing pest on the earth and the source of millions of deaths. They are so tiny that they get anywhere without any difficulty. These little flying insects are famous for carrying diseases and transmit to humans.

The most common irritation they give us is by buzzing in our ears and with their bites itchiness. But it becomes a problem when the mosquito bite gives you malaria, dengue, typhoid, and zika virus-like diseases. And this isn't the case for only people with low immunity mosquitoes threaten everyone's life.

Knowing the difference between an average mosquito and one with a disease becomes even more crucial. For example, some mosquito bites don't award you with redness and itchiness; instead, they give life-threatening diseases like dengue and malaria.

Does every mosquito-spread malaria?

No, not every mosquito we come across transmits malaria. Only infected Anopheles mosquitoes spread malaria. And the other mosquitos, which are infected by taking a blood meal from one of the malaria-infected people, can transmit malaria too.

How to identify malaria mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes that spread malaria are blackish to dark brown and have three sections: head, thorax, and abdomen. These mosquitoes are known as Anopheles, and primarily female Anopheles, the ones who infect you with malaria.

When Anopheles rest on your body to bite you, their stomach area points upward rather than parallel to your body like other primary mosquitoes. They have an equally round shield (scutellum) that looks like wings.

Their most apparent feature is Palps; one can quickly tell it's an anopheles mosquito by looking at its palps.

Anopheles life cycle

There are 400 species of Anopheles mosquitoes, and approximately 30 of them are known as malaria-transmitter mosquitoes.

Female anopheles mosquito lives only for a few weeks to a month but can breed thousands of eggs in that time. Anopheles mosquitoes are famous for circulating malaria disease to humans, and they also transmit heartworm in dogs.

Anopheles mosquitoes breed eggs in still, calm water.

Does anopheles mosquitoes dangerous?

Malaria, which these Anopheles mosquitoes transmit, can be deadly to babies who haven't developed their immunity yet. And for women with babies in their wombs, their immunity goes lower due to pregnancy. And to people who are not well already and suffering for good health.

But this doesn't mean that it's not harmful to ordinary people. On the contrary, it can be fatal for people with good immunity if not treated on time.

Symptoms of malaria mosquitoes bites

In doctors' terms, there are two types of malaria disease: uncomplicated and severe malaria and the symptoms for both are different. However, the cause of both malaria is anopheles mosquito bites.

Uncomplicated Malaria: In uncomplicated malaria, initial symptoms start with a cold, with shivering, followed by second-stage symptoms like headache, vomiting, and fever, and then again goes to average temperature by sweating tiredness, and fatigue. Sometimes stiffness and sensation in muscles are also felt by younger age people.

Severe Malaria: In this case of malaria with initial stage symptoms such as fever and shivering problem extends to impaired consciousness, respiratory distress like deep breathing and dry cough, a sign of anemia, organ dysfunction, convulsion, jaundice, and abnormal bleeding.

How to prevent anopheles mosquito bites?

Anopheles mosquitoes are most active at night, and to protect yourself from these mosquitoes, you need to follow some options.

Wear full sleeves and light-colored clothes and full pants. Mosquitoes are attracted to colors like black and blue.

Sleep under a mosquito net to keep these little pests away from you.

Mosquitoes are invited to still water, and especially anopheles breed in still water, so make sure not to let water collected in empty pots like things. Also, clean the water from time to time that is stored for birds and animals.

Use a screen on windows to keep mosquitoes outside.

Use natural mosquito repellent like Pai's anti-mosquito killer to keep these bugs away from your house and you.

To make yourself less appealing to mosquitoes, wear any anti mosquitoes gel or essential oil like lavender essential oil, neem oil, and peppermint essential oil to keep yourself safe from mosquito bites.

Although malaria and normal mosquitoes are very different, not everyone can distinguish them with ordinary eyes, as mosquitoes are tiny species. So it will be best to keep all kinds of mosquitoes away from you and your house.

And mosquitoes are anyway very irritating and live in our blood.

Fun Fact about mosquitoes: Male mosquitoes are depended on a non-blood meal, so all the caused by mosquitoes are because by female mosquitoes.