A Plague on you

It’s as we thought the heavy rain has enticed a new wave of visitors to the area. Some businesses have been making a few quid out of this but the saluds have also been extra busy in their wake. No not lager louts, I suppose we should be thankful for small mercies! The visitors are flying in in droves though and Easyjet is not to blame, after all mosquitoes, which are the visitors I am referring to, come with their own sets of wings in addition to the bits that do the damage. And it seems the female of the species is more deadly than the male. Female mosquitoes, unlike males, have a proboscis. This is a long thin needle-like built-in syringe located at the mouth. They use this to stab their victims, so that the mosquito’s abdomens fill with blood. Certain proteins in the blood are needed to produce fertile eggs. As males cannot produce eggs they have no need for blood. Females require a new blood 'meal' for every nest they lay, and produce about 250 eggs per meal. Female mosquitoes live anywhere from one to several weeks depending on the species and the environment. Some females can survive the winter to lay eggs in the spring, before dying. Males generally live 4-5 days, and die after mating. When a mosquito bites it injects a small amount of saliva that thins the blood so it doesn't coagulate in the narrow channel of the proboscis. When it's done feeding, some of this saliva remains in the wound. This causes an immune system response and itching. A welt forms, known as a wheal, and the body goes to work breaking down the proteins from the saliva. The bite will continue to itch until the body has broken down all of the proteins.
It’s a myth that only the female mosquito makes a buzzing sound. The buzzing sound you hear is from the beating of the wings. Both female and male wings make a buzzing sound. Most people don't hear the male mosquito because it doesn't bite.
all very interesting don't you think' All I know is I am being driven mad by itching wheals or welts or what ever you choose to call them. Over 200 hundred people have had treatment for allergic reaction Torrivieja, Guardamar and San Miguel are worst hit but it’s none to good where we are. Whose making money out of this you may well wonder. Well anyone who sells insect repellent, anti mosquito coils and sprays not to mention pills and potions if the little buzzers do get you.