If only it did not itch so much, we could have almost ignore these pests. Of course we should still worry about the diseases they may transfer, but the itch is the most common nuisance mosquitoes inflict. In order to understand why do mosquito bites itch, we should learn a thing or two about mosquito bites.
First, only the female mosquitoes bite. All the mosquitoes, male and female alike, feed on sugars from flowers or fruits to obtain the energy they need for their daily usual tasks (flying around, mating and so on). In order to produce many eggs as most mosquito females are producing, the female needs proteins which she obtains from the bitten victim’s blood.
Secondly, though it is called a bite, the mosquito female is actually stinging us. Equipped with mouth parts (called proboscis) designed as a needle of syringe, the mosquito stings us. This is the first step of the mosquito bite, but it still doesn’t answer why do mosquito bites itch. The second step in the biting process is pushing her proboscis into our skin: the female will push it inside until it finds a nice blood vessel to start the sucking process.
The bite third step: In order for the blood sucking process to go well, the mosquito female injects into the bitten victim a saliva cocktail containing different substances. Among other this cocktail includes anti-coagulant material that keeps your blood flowing until she is finishes her meal and release her sting.
The problem is that the saliva also contains digesting enzymes, sometimes even anesthetic substance and more. Now, since these foreign intruders are detected in our blood by our immune system, histamines are being secreted around the bitten spot. And there is your clue as to why do mosquito bites itch…
The fourth step provides the direct answer to the question why do mosquito bites itch. It is our body response to the cocktail and the histamines. The histamines cause our local blood vessels to swell. Doing so, our blood vessels pressure the nerve and irritate them.
So why do mosquito bites itch? It is our physiology to blame and not the mosquito bite itself! The expansion of blood vessels also causes the swelling and redness and the mosquito anti-coagulant does not help – on the contrary. Minor hematomas may also occur around the bite. Scratching the bite make things even worst as it encourages more histamine to be released.
Another question often asked is why do mosquito bites itch after the bite is finished? Indeed, for most mosquito types (not including the Asian tiger mosquito for example), the injected saliva contains also an anesthetic substance – which reduces our sensitivity to pain.
Therefore, most mosquitoes bites are not sensed immediately, the itching starts only after the bite and we do not interfere in the process. In these cases, the mosquito female can finish her meal and fly away undisturbed. On the other hand, we’ll normally feel the Asian tiger mosquito‘s bite as it happens, but at least we can smash it on the spot…
First, only the female mosquitoes bite. All the mosquitoes, male and female alike, feed on sugars from flowers or fruits to obtain the energy they need for their daily usual tasks (flying around, mating and so on). In order to produce many eggs as most mosquito females are producing, the female needs proteins which she obtains from the bitten victim’s blood.
Secondly, though it is called a bite, the mosquito female is actually stinging us. Equipped with mouth parts (called proboscis) designed as a needle of syringe, the mosquito stings us. This is the first step of the mosquito bite, but it still doesn’t answer why do mosquito bites itch. The second step in the biting process is pushing her proboscis into our skin: the female will push it inside until it finds a nice blood vessel to start the sucking process.
The bite third step: In order for the blood sucking process to go well, the mosquito female injects into the bitten victim a saliva cocktail containing different substances. Among other this cocktail includes anti-coagulant material that keeps your blood flowing until she is finishes her meal and release her sting.
The problem is that the saliva also contains digesting enzymes, sometimes even anesthetic substance and more. Now, since these foreign intruders are detected in our blood by our immune system, histamines are being secreted around the bitten spot. And there is your clue as to why do mosquito bites itch…
The fourth step provides the direct answer to the question why do mosquito bites itch. It is our body response to the cocktail and the histamines. The histamines cause our local blood vessels to swell. Doing so, our blood vessels pressure the nerve and irritate them.
So why do mosquito bites itch? It is our physiology to blame and not the mosquito bite itself! The expansion of blood vessels also causes the swelling and redness and the mosquito anti-coagulant does not help – on the contrary. Minor hematomas may also occur around the bite. Scratching the bite make things even worst as it encourages more histamine to be released.
Another question often asked is why do mosquito bites itch after the bite is finished? Indeed, for most mosquito types (not including the Asian tiger mosquito for example), the injected saliva contains also an anesthetic substance – which reduces our sensitivity to pain.
Therefore, most mosquitoes bites are not sensed immediately, the itching starts only after the bite and we do not interfere in the process. In these cases, the mosquito female can finish her meal and fly away undisturbed. On the other hand, we’ll normally feel the Asian tiger mosquito‘s bite as it happens, but at least we can smash it on the spot…
Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch?
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murat