What is World Mosquito Day?

If you were asked which animal you thought was the world’s deadliest, which terrifying beast would spring to mind?

The Great White Shark?

A venomous snake?

What about the Funnel-Web spider?

Sure, they are mighty scary, but you’ll need to think a little smaller. The truth is, the mosquito is actually considered the deadliest animal on the planet. 

Getting a bite from a mosquito can be an itchy pain for a couple of days for most, but a bite from one of these flying pests can be life-threatening for many around the world.

This World Mosquito Day we’re here to inform you about why mosquitoes are so lethal, why there’s a day dedicated to them and how you can help give them the flick!

Not all mosquitoes are bad guys

Whilst mosquitoes may look the same when we see them flying around, did you know that there are over 3,000 harmless mosquito species?

Many mosquitoes don’t have a particular taste for human blood. The elephant mosquito is the largest non-blood sucking mosquito and is known to eat the larvae of other more harmful mosquitoes, making them an ally of ours!

What kind of diseases do mosquitoes carry?

Whilst there are thousands of mosquitoes on the friendlier side, they didn’t get their ‘deadliest animal’ title for the irritation they caused from their bite.

The three most dangerous mosquitoes belong to the Anopheles, Aedes and Culex species. Lymphatic filariasis, Zika, dengue, yellow fever can all be linked to the Aedes aegypti alone.

In tropical and subtropical regions, the Anopheles mosquito is the main spreader of malaria and can be found all around the world except Antarctica!

In 2016, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) reported that an estimated 445,000 people died of malaria.

Why is there a day dedicated to mosquitoes?

World Mosquito Day is a day to celebrate the fascinating work of Dr Ronald Ross, who in 1897 was able to discover how malaria spreads.

Dr Ross is responsible for the annual observance and declared after this enormous discovery that World Mosquito Day would be remembered each year.

When is World Mosquito Day this year?

World Mosquito Day falls on Friday 20 August every year.

How can you make a difference this World Mosquito Day?

This World Mosquito Day, join us in the fight to eradicate suffering caused by mosquitoes in remote and rural areas. You can help a child sleep safely at night by providing them with a mosquito net, as this is the most effective way to prevent children from Malaria. 

Your support can change a child’s life and help us reduce the number of diseases contracted from mosquito bites.