Monday, October 24, 2011

Danish mosquitos, the happiest mosquitos on earth?

My first 2 weekends here in DK have been amazing, weather-wise.  Blue skies, few to no clouds and cool, to cold crisp air--but the sun has been out. In the sunshine, I can even feel a bit of warmth :) On these days, we have been leaving a few windows open to let in fresh air and to let out all the paint smells from our weekend painting project.  With all of the open windows, more than a few mosquitos came right on in to take up residence inside the house.   I was initially worried and was chasing them around trying to kill them by clapping my hands together on them (looking like a fool in the process I'm sure).   I didn't want to become easy dinner in the middle of the night.  However, I began to notice that none of these mosquitos were seeking me out, but instead landing on the walls and just sitting there..sitting there for days in fact (though I think this mosquito must have just died). At this point, I didn't care what they were doing as long as it continued to not involve me.
I find mosquitos to be evil looking, and even more so up close 


While in Texas, I was sought out by the local mosquitos and even spotted the infamous Dengue-fever- carrying Asian Tiger mosquito landing on my arm (true story--in the month of August, there were 2 reported cases of Dengue fever in Tarrant county)  Since moving to Denmark, I have not been bitten once.  Not one time!  I seem to be invisible to them.  I can walk past 2 hovering baddies and they don't seem to notice me.  I don't think Ed has been bitten either. (ever check verb conjugations in your own language? i do--apparently 'has been bit' is not correct :)   I just do not understand it...They are still out and about so they are not completely dead yet.  I looked at a dead one to make sure it was actually a mosquito-and it was, stinger and all.  Is it our processed-food filled American blood? haha  I searched google for an answer...and the closest thing to an answer I could find was that 'they hibernate'.  Hibernation doesn't really seem like an option for a bug with a lifespan of a few weeks. It was actually quite 'warm' out on many of the days so I wouldn't consider this optimal 'hibernation' weather....

Anyway, I am definitely not complaining-just curious.  Anyone else have an experience with non-biting Danish mosquitos? 

2 comments:

  1. All I know about mosquitoes is that the females bite because they need blood in order to reproduce. The males don't even have those proboscis mouth things because they don't need blood for anything (they are still chemically attracted to delicious blood though, bless).
    I guess if the mossies are cold, they are not thinking about settling down and laying some eggs? That's only a guess though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's probably the Vejle variant. The Copenhagen ones bite. Hard.

    ReplyDelete