Why is it only the female mosquito that can transfer diseases such as malaria?
Only the female is capable of drinking blood, an act called haematophagy. Females do not require blood to survive, but they need supplements, such as protein and iron, to enable them to develop and lay their eggs. The female Mosquitoes do not actually “bite”. They will actually pierce the skin with their sharp proboscis, injecting a mild painkiller as they do so, to numb the pain, and will then proceed to suck the host’s blood.
