I’ve heard it said that every dog has his day, but believe it or not, today is World Mosquito Day! Now, I like dogs, and if it was World Dog Day, I’d be completely alright with that — but mosquitoes? I don’t think these annoying little creatures deserve their own day.
Ok — I not only revealed some of my boundless ignorance, but I over-reacted. Today is World Mosquito Day, but it’s not intended to honor the mosquito, like I first assumed.
Thank goodness for my extensive research skills — here’s what I found out.
World Mosquito Day takes place on August 20 every year and is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery, in 1897, that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Ross is responsible for the annual observance, having declared shortly after his discovery that the day should be known as World Mosquito Day in the future. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine holds Mosquito Day celebrations every year, including events such as parties and exhibitions — a tradition dating back to the early 1930s.
The name mosquito comes from a Spanish word meaning “little fly.” Basically, mosquitoes feed on plant nectar, similar to bees. Most people think that mosquitoes bite humans because they need to feed on human blood — but that’s not true. Female mosquitoes suck blood in order to help with the development of their eggs prior to laying them. Male mosquitoes don’t feed on blood at all.
Even though mosquitoes do play an important role in the ecosystem because they serve as a food source for many organisms, they are dangerous because of their ability to carry and transmit diseases. In fact, some authorities argue that mosquitoes are the most dangerous animals on Earth.
One of the diseases that mosquitoes are known to transmit is malaria — I don’t know if I got it from a mosquito, but I caught malaria in the 1960s while working in Africa. I don’t remember much about the disease, but I remember that I wasn’t able to donate blood for quit a few years. I’ve heard that even today, malaria kills over half a million people every year. Ross’s discovery revolutionized our understanding of the disease and led to increased awareness about malaria prevention.
Alaska is noted for their mosquitoes — a few years ago, while visiting there, a park ranger told us that there wasn’t a single mosquito in the whole park….. they were all married.
So I guess I’m alright with a World Mosquito Day — maybe it would be better to name it Dr. Ross Day, but that’s not my call…. have a nice World Mosquito Day.
— 30 —