World Mosquito Day
August 20 · Level 8 · #542 of 2238
World Mosquito Day draws attention to mosquitoes and the diseases they can transmit. It recalls Ronald Ross's 1897 discovery of malaria parasites in a mosquito that had fed on an infected person, an important breakthrough in understanding how malaria spreads.
How it is celebrated: research institutions and charities organise talks, exhibitions and awareness campaigns. They explain mosquito research, efforts to tackle malaria and the work of scientists studying disease transmission.
Only female mosquitoes take blood meals, and even that does not apply to every species. Males feed on plant sugars, while many females also drink nectar for energy.