Skip to content

Wednesday, May. 7, 2025

Are female mosquitoes the only ones that drink blood? 


yes

Female mosquitoes need to drink blood of some kind in order to lay eggs. Male mosquitoes, which do not lay eggs, subsist primarily on nectar. A male mosquito’s proboscis – its elongated feeding-tube mouth – is not able to pierce skin, unlike a female mosquito’s proboscis.

But that might not be the only reason they drink blood.

Research from the University of Cincinnati earlier this year found that mosquitoes may be able to survive periods of drought by drinking blood not for egg production, but for hydration. This, said researcher Christopher Holmes, could give the insects more opportunities to spread diseases, such as malaria or dengue fever.

Disease-causing mosquitoes are most active from July to October, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

See a full discussion of this at MinnPost

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

About fact briefs

Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.

See all fact briefs

MinnPost is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces thoughtful, in-depth journalism about civic and cultural affairs impacting Minnesota. Through our reporting, we take readers beyond the headlines and deep into the issues that matter through our public-service journalism, empowering them to engage in the politics and policy-making shaping Minnesota’s future.

Learn More

Be a Friend of facts

Help us fund more great fact briefs like this one.