Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes have different dietary needs depending on their sex and life stage:
Female mosquitoes require blood meals to develop their eggs.
They feed on the blood of various animals including humans, birds, mammals, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians.
The protein and iron in blood are essential for egg production.
However, female mosquitoes also feed on plant nectar and other sugary substances for energy.
Male mosquitoes don't bite at all - they feed exclusively on plant nectar, fruit juices, and other sugary plant fluids.
They use their proboscis to extract these sweet substances for energy.
Mosquito larvae (which live in water) filter-feed on organic matter, bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms in the water.
They're essentially aquatic detritivores, consuming decomposing organic material.
Adult mosquitoes of both sexes rely on sugar sources like flower nectar, tree sap, and honeydew for their primary energy needs.
Blood feeding is specifically related to reproduction in females.
Interestingly, many mosquito species are actually important pollinators of certain plants, particularly in Arctic regions where they can be among the most abundant flying insects during brief summer seasons.
The misconception that mosquitoes only feed on blood comes from our focus on the biting behavior that affects humans, but sugar feeding is actually their primary nutritional activity.