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Critter Jitters: Mosquitoes Run Amok

By KRISTEN STERNBERG | NIE Educational Consultant

Mosquitoes were already thriving and hungry for blood when humans first made their appearance on Earth, and people have been waging wars on them ever since! Most people will agree that mosquito bites can be annoying, but did you know that in a few cases they might be fatal?

Some people are more sensitive than others to mosquito bites. Reactions can range from mild itching to severe fever and even death. Recently, an especially dangerous virus that's spread by mosquitoes is causing concern. The virus, called the West Nile virus, is considered serious and has killed over a dozen people in recent years.

West Nile virus spread from along the Nile River, in Africa, to many other areas of the world including parts of Florida. It mostly affects humans and horses, and it has caused the deaths of over a dozen people. West Nile lives inside birds but they're not directly responsible for spreading it to humans. It takes mosquitoes to carry the disease to people, horses and other animals. Female mosquitoes feed on the blood of infected birds and then pass it on when they bite human beings. Although occurrences are rare, bites from mosquitoes carrying West Nile can be fatal, especially to people who are already in poor health.

Over the past century or so, officials have experimented with ways to control mosquitoes. Two widely used methods used to cut down on mosquitoes were the draining of wetland areas and the use of a pesticide known as DDT. These two methods seemed to work at first, but as years passed it became apparent that the environment was suffering. Where wetlands had been drained, wildlife habitats disappeared, and DDT was found to harm birds' eggs so that their young couldn't hatch. The American Bald Eagle, a powerful symbol of our country, was greatly affected by this and almost died out as a result. DDT has since been banned in the United States, and both pesticide use and wetlands are under tighter governmental control.

Even if we could get rid of mosquitoes entirely, we understand it would not be wise in the long run. We know that all animals, including mosquitoes, play an important part in the food chain. Mosquitoes were here before people, and they will probably be around for a long while. In the meantime, you can learn more about mosquitoes, try some fun activities and even find ways to reduce your chances of being bitten-all by checking out what's below!

Try these interesting activities using The News-Journal

1. The word mosquito comes from the Spanish language. Many other English words also have their origins in Spanish. Use your newspaper to identify at least five words you believe come from Spanish. Make a list of the words you found and consult a dictionary to determine whether you were correct about their origins. (Sunshine State Standards: FL.A.2.2.3, FL.D.1.2.1, FL.D.1.2.2)




Rocky gives Mimi, a quarter horse, a vaccine for the West Nile virus. The virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, affects both humans and horses. Officials say they are seeing early signs that the West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis might pose more dangers to animals - and possibly to people - this year. (Photo: News-Journal/Peter Bauer)

2. Comb (thoroughly search) your newspaper for words and pictures that describe insects. Clip and then glue your cuttings onto a larger sheet of paper. Then, list one or more facts you know about each of the insects. Use your creation to teach friends or family what you learned. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.B.2.2.6)



3. Mosquito larvae (the young) require certain conditions to grow. Standing pools of water-from large lakes and swamps to puddles containing just a few drops-are excellent places for mosquitoes to breed and thrive. While we don't want to drain large wetland areas, there are certain things we can do to discourage mosquitoes from breeding locally. Household and yard items, if they contain standing water, can also harbor mosquito larvae. (Hint: empty containers, old tires and even some plants hold water that encourages mosquito larvae). Therefore, mosquitoes breed in natural areas as well as areas created by humans! Look through your newspaper to find pictures showing places mosquitoes might breed. For each man-made item you find that could contribute to mosquitoes' breeding, write a sentence stating how you might fix the problem. Use the information to help start a neighborhood or school-wide clean-up campaign. (Sunshine State Standards: SC.G.1.2.1, SC.G.1.2.7)



4. Locate the Nile River on a world map. Next, turn to your newspaper's International news section and inspect the dateline that appears at the beginning of each article in that day's paper. (Datelines tell where a news story originated.) Find the locations of the featured cities on a map, too. Which city appears farthest from the Nile? Which seems closest? (Sunshine State Standards: SS.B.1.2.1)



5. Check your newspaper periodically for stories about mosquitoes and other insects. Keep track of how many stories feature insects in negative ways, such as those coming into conflict with humans, and how many portray insects as positive. How many of each kind can you identify? Can insects be both harmful and beneficial at the same time? Make a collection of newspaper articles about other viruses and how they affect the lives of humans and other animals. Share your finding with friends and family. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.1.2.2, LA.A.1.2.3, LA.A.1.2.4, LA.A.2.2.1, LA.A.2.2.2)

A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org.

Check out these links to learn more

The study of mosquitoes and other insects is called 'entomology.' Become a budding entomologist (person who studies insects) when you visit this site to learn about the natural history of the mosquito and more. Then, follow the life cycle of a mosquito through detailed illustrations and learn the interesting history of the word mosquito as you scroll through the Web pages.

How much blood does a mosquito drink at one feeding? Find the answer to that and other commonly asked questions by following this link to mosquito trivia. Then, learn what you can do to help protect yourself from all kinds of insect bites and stings.

Is West Nile fatal to birds? Check out this Web site to find out how the virus affects the bird kingdom. Next, learn more about mosquitoes and many other amazing insects at this site put together by students.

The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world. Visit the site and check some of them out, to see if they have recently published any articles on this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published October 15, 2001

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