Many interesting facts about mosquitoes, for example, they are one of the most dangerous insect species on the planet. Despite their small size, they are the intermediary for transmitting many dangerous diseases… You may have heard of these facts, but did you know that mosquitoes also have a unique talent? That is the ability to walk on water, thanks to their long legs like spiders. Specifically, how does this work? Let’s find out!
They belong to the arthropod class, so their outer shell is rough and made up of chitin. In addition to their legs, their body has all the parts including head, thorax, abdomen, eyes, and antennae. In basic structure, mosquitoes have a similar shape to bees and butterflies.
>> The danger of mosquitoes that you may not know
Mosquitoes with long legs like spiders can walk on water.
There are many insects that are able to walk on water, but if they were to land on the water with their wings, they would sink and be unable to survive. One example of this is the water spider. Water spiders can walk on water just as easily as on land, and they can even climb walls. This characteristic is quite similar to that of mosquitoes. However, mosquitoes are particularly dangerous because not only can they stand firmly on walls, but they can also lay their eggs on the surface of the water.
All mosquitoes begin their lives on the surface of the water and must go through the larval stage before they can mature. Therefore, it is perfectly normal for mosquitoes to be able to walk on water. Furthermore, is it because of the long legs of mosquitoes like spiders that they can stand firm on the surface of the water?
Specifically, the mosquito’s hind legs have a pad, similar to that of a fly. If compared, the mosquito’s legs are more similar to a fly’s than a spider’s. This pad has a structure of stiff, hair-like fibers that adhere tightly to the surface of the water, allowing the mosquito to move forwards and backwards with ease.H2 Mosquitoes with long legs like spiders can easily walk on water surface.
It is a paradox that the larger an organism is, the smaller its contact area with the water surface. How can this be applied to humans? In other words, if you want to stand on the water surface like a mosquito, at least your feet should be kilometers long. This is totally impossible, right? In fact, humans do not need to walk on the water surface. However, for insects like mosquitoes with long legs like spiders, this is everything to them.
Learn more: Lifecycle of mosquitoes in nature