Do mosquitoes bite or suck?

BRY2K

Mosquitoes do not 'bite', they suck blood. The mosquito will suck the blood into its abdomen where it will be used for the development of mosquito eggs. http://www.avoidmosquitobites.com/mosquito-bites.asp Jul 16 09, 1:37 PM

satguru

Having said that Bry they still have to puncture the skin first which may not be the conventional meaning of bite but have the same effect. Jul 16 09, 8:27 PM

zbeckabee

It is more like impaling than biting: Only female mosquitoes bite, and all mosquitoes live on the sugar found in plant nectar, not on blood. But there is a reason females seek blood. Female mosquitoes, unlike males, have a proboscis. This is a long thin needle-like built-in syringe located at the mouth. They use this to impale their victims, in order to fill their abdomens with blood. Proteins in the blood are necessary to produce fertile eggs. Since males cannot produce eggs they have no need for blood. Females require a new blood 'meal' for every nest they lay, and produce about 250 eggs per meal. http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-mosquitoes-bite.htm Jul 16 09, 8:45 PM