Why do mosquitoes bite?

Girl mosquitoes bite because they need blood. Blood helps them make eggs. The bite may itch later. Their wings make a tiny buzz.

Mosquitoes bite because girl mosquitoes need a little blood to help make their eggs. They poke your skin with a tiny mouth and drink a drop. Then your body notices and makes a red, itchy bump. It is a bit like needing special food to help make baby birds grow in eggs.

Only female mosquitoes bite. They need nutrients from blood to make eggs. A mosquito uses a thin mouthpart called a proboscis, like a tiny needle-straw, to pierce skin and drink. She also leaves a little saliva, or spit, that helps blood flow, and your body reacts to it with an itchy bump. Fun fact: male mosquitoes do not bite at all; they drink nectar from flowers.