It was Missy the Mischievous Mosquito!
Our room was so hot last night (errant floor heating) that we had to open the windows to let in some cool air. When I woke up in the morning, this is what I found:
You can't see them all, but I have at least 10 bites on my face.It may surprise some of you that Michael did not get a single bite! I am a MOSQUITO MAGNET!!!! (Believe me, I am the best camping partner ever: as long as I am around you are guaranteed to get 80-100% less bug bites!)
To make matters worse, I usually respond to these bites with an immune reaction strong enough to cure the plague! Not only do they swell and turn bright red, but after about a week they turn into hideous hemorrhagic welts that stick around (but don't itch, thank God) for another couple of weeks. (Michael is sooooo excited; he just can't wait to be seen in public with me for the next month or so!)
Some of you may still be wondering how I know the mosquito was a "she"...
Turns out, only female mosquitos bite people. All mosquitoes live on the sugar found in plant nectar, not on blood. But there is a reason females seek blood. Proteins in the blood are necessary to produce fertile eggs. Since males cannot produce eggs they have no need for blood. Females require a new blood 'meal' for every nest they lay, and produce about 250 eggs per meal. And now you know...
Megan, that looks horrible.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on the mosquitos. I don't get bit much, which must mean I am NOT contributing to the reproduction of more mosquitos!
I am totally with you. I get bit all the freakin' time! Although, I don't have O blood....so that theory may be out the door. Wonder what would happen if the two of us were in a room together with Missy....hmmm
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