PGF Leaf #35 - Mosquito Traditional Cache
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Each of the geocaches in the PGF Leaf series will highlight an animal that can be found in the Starkey Wilderness Preserve. While searching for the PGF Leaf caches, and while hiking in any wilderness area, please remember ... this is the animal's home - you are merely a guest. Be respectful of natural communities, and leave nothing behind but footprints.
Cachers are invited to upload pictures they take of each animal subject - as long as the picture was actually taken within the boundaries of the Starkey Wilderness Park.
Mosquito
It goes almost without saying that most species of mosquitoes are considered a nuisance. They feed on the blood of vertebrates, including humans, and may transmit deadly diseases such as yellow fever and malaria. It is the female mosquito that feeds on blood.
Mosquitoes are actually a type of fly, and go through four stages in their lifecycle; egg, larva, pupa and adult. There are over 1,600 distinct species of mosquito, so describing the breeding and feeding characteristics is impossible without knowing the exact species. Control of mosquitoes is a complicated science that requires identifying the specific type of mosquito that is present. Thus it is not uncommon to see mosquito traps when you visit different parks.
Both male and female mosquitoes feed on nectar and plant juices. But in many species the females also feed on the blood of vertebrates, and may need the nutrients found in blood to produce eggs. Warm blooded hosts are often detected by chemical, visual and heat sensors. The best defense against mosquitoes is to wear clothing that covers your entire body and/or to use insect repellent containing DEET.
The primary predator that helps keep mosquito populations under control are dragonflies and damselflies. It is not uncommon to see dragonflies swarming near dusk, catching mosquitoes on the fly - earning them the familiar name "mosquito hawks". Fish are probably the most useful predator that control mosquitoes in the larvae stage.
This cache was placed by a member of the PGF Leaf team and is maintained by the WestPascoEventTeam
The PGF Leaf Project is a geocaching series placed with the cooperation and permission of Pasco County Parks & Recreation Department, Pasco Department of Tourism, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
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Treasures
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