A Little Rain in Wilmington MA Doesn’t Ruin A Mosquito’s Day
Rain. It cools the earth after a hot summer day and offers a refreshing reprieve from the harsh summer season weather. For humans, rainfall doesn’t do much other than wet your clothes and water your plants. That, however, isn’t the case for many insects. Especially since raindrops weigh about 50 times as much as a mosquito though they are roughly the same size. Rain also falls at such a rate that it’s impossible for the insects to avoid them. Through the compound eyes of a mosquito, a trip out in the rain is more like running out into high-speed traffic.
In spite of that, mosquitoes will often continue their lifelong quest to irritate anyone unlucky enough to become their next meal. Everyone’s least favorite summer pest has evolved a very special way to stay airborne during a rainy day. The mosquitoes of today are built to endure a downpour. Their combined adaptations of a unique exoskeleton and low mass render them impervious to force of falling raindrops.
Recent research has revealed that mosquitoes receive low impact forces from raindrops because the mass of mosquitoes causes raindrops to lose little momentum upon impact.
The studies conducted used high-speed videography to watch mosquitoes in action.
When faced with a rainy situation their body’s take any collisions, relying on their ability break free from the front of the raindrop. Mosquitoes achieve this through the use of their long legs and wings. By utilizing the drag of their appendages, mosquitoes are rotated off the point of contact. When slowed down it looks like the mosquito barely takes a hit at all. Since not much momentum is transferred, the lanky physiology of a mosquito will allow it to recover quickly and go about it’s merry way.
When it comes to getting out and enjoying the summer, mosquitoes don’t let mother nature rain on their parade. So don’t let mosquitoes stop you from enjoying the summer season yourself and call Mosquito Enemy for mosquito control today!
