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The
habitat is rainforests and other warm areas of the world where water is present.
It's diet is plant juices, nectar, and blood. It's enemies are bats, birds,
other insects, and humans.
Mosquitos are ever-present in rainforests, particularly in the rainy season.
There are over 2,500 species of mosquitos. It is the females who suck blood
from hosts such as humans and other animals. They need the blood to help feed
their eggs. The eggs of a mosquito are laid on the surface of a pool of water
and that is where the babies are born. The life span of a mosquito is very short.
Depending on the species it may range from 10 days to as long as a couple of
months.
The high-pitched humming sounds that mosquitos make is caused by the frequency
of their wingbeats. Mosquitoes are known to transmit such serious diseases as
yellow fever, malaria, filariasis, and dengue. Mosquitos are fast breeders and
adults mate shortly after they are born.
There are three important mosquito genera.
- The Genus Anopheles, is the only known carrier of malaria.
- The genus Culex carries viral encephalitis and flariasis.
- The genus Aedes is a carrier of yellow fever, dengue, and encephalitis.
The
habitat is tropical rainforests. It's diet is mainly insects and spiders.
It's enemies are some snakes and larger animals.
Scorpions belong to the class Arachnida (same as spiders). There are more
than 1,000 species of scorpions in the world. Many times after they mate,
the female will eat the male. Scorpion babies develop in the mother and are
born alive. They stay on the mother's back for about 12 days. They can live
6-7 years. They are nocturnal and during the day most species will burrow
under stones or logs. Scorpions have a venomous stinger on the tip of their
tail. They use their venom to kill prey or to warn others to stay away. They
can range from half an inch to seven inches long. Their large front pincers
are used to grasp prey and kill it. They will then suck the tissues from their
prey. Some species of scorpions have a "deadly" sting and other
species carry less potent venom.
The
habitat is tropical North and South America, Southwest United States, Africa,
Asia, Australia, Caribbean, New Zealand and other hot and humid countries.
It's diet is insects, mice, small frogs, toads, and large beetles. It's enemies
is humans, large birds and snakes.
Spiders belong to the class Arachnida (same as scorpions). There are about
800 species of tarantula. Tarantulas and all spiders have 8 legs. A few species
appear to have 10 legs, but the extra two are actually arms. The tarantula
is mainly nocturnal and comes out at night to stalk prey. They hide during
the day in trees and under logs. Females have been known to live for 20 years
in captivity. Has large fangs which hold and puncture its prey. Its teeth
mashes the prey and the tarantula sucks the prey's tissues. It does not swallow
solid food. The bite of a tarantula is extremely painful but for humans not
fatal. Tarantulas are venomous. They use their fangs to inject poison into
their prey. The strength of the tarantula venom varies from specie to specie.
Tarantulas are very sluggish in movement. They can grow up to two inches in
body size but appear much bigger because of their furry long legs.

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