How do mosquitoes find their \"prey\"?

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On summer nights, the most annoying thing are the mosquitoes flying around one’s head – not only do their buzzing sounds disturb one’s peace, but their bites while sucking blood also cause great discomfort and make it difficult to fall asleep. So, why do mosquitoes suck human blood? How do mosquitoes find their “targets”? Why does the skin become red, swollen, and itchy after a mosquito sucks blood? According to the Science and Technology Daily, not all mosquitoes feed on blood; only female mosquitoes drink animal blood, while male mosquitoes consume nectar or plant sap. So, why are only female mosquitoes the ones that feed on blood? According to Science and Technology Daily, this is necessary for reproduction; after mating, female mosquitoes need nutrients such as proteins found in human and animal blood to obtain energy and promote the development of their ovaries, thereby enabling them to produce fertilized eggs and give birth to the next generation. Furthermore, according to China News Network, a research team from the University of Cincinnati in the United States has found that in addition to needing proteins in blood to lay eggs, female mosquitoes also suck blood through bites to maintain water balance in their bodies. So, how do mosquitoes find their “targets”? The Yangtze Evening News explained that mosquitoes do not use their eyes to find their \"prey,\" but rather locate people by detecting carbon dioxide. In the darkness, a mosquito’s initial flight may be random, but once the carbon dioxide sensors on its sensory hairs detect carbon dioxide currents in certain areas of the air, it will fly toward those currents and land precisely on human skin. Experts explain that mosquitoes’ “sensory hairs” can detect carbon dioxide at a distance of 15 meters from the human body. After being bitten by mosquitoes, the affected area often becomes red, itchy, and swollen, with the severity varying from person to person. What causes this? According to the Overseas Edition of People’s Daily, there are many species of mosquitoes, with the most common being those in the genera Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex. When mosquitoes bite, they secrete an anticoagulant to prevent blood from clotting. In response to this anticoagulant, the human immune system releases a chemical called histamine, which causes the blood vessels around the site of the bite to dilate, resulting in redness of the skin surface ； Histamine can also increase vascular permeability, leading to edema that appears as raised \"hives.\" Meanwhile, histamine stimulates the nerve endings in the skin, causing an itchy sensation. People who are prone to allergies tend to produce more histamine after being bitten by mosquitoes, which leads to the formation of large bumps and hard swellings that take a long time to subside. (Yan Jingqi) The scientific accuracy of this article was reviewed by Peng Guoqiu, director of the outpatient department in Building 81 of the First Affiliated Hospital (304) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital. Currently, the areas of research by experts include health and wellness, clinical medicine, and psychomedicine.