Watch A Mosquito Suck Blood In Disgusting Detail

Even before the current Zika virus scare, mosquitoes were infamous for spreading illnesses, such as Dengue fever and malaria, far and wide. So, yes, they are horrible, flying, disease-wielding fiends. But, as this new video from Deep Look reveals, they're also pretty amazing. As the video explains, only female mosquitos actually suck blood (#girlpower) because they need it to create eggs. And they do so using six separate needles. The two outer ones have tiny saw-like teeth on them to easily cut through skin. The next two hold the skin open so the inner two needles can get down deep. There, the inner needles seek out our blood and even dispense chemicals to make it flow faster. Those chemicals also leave us with that classic itchy bump. And if the mosquito is carrying a parasite or disease (e.g. Zika), she'll leave that behind, too. So how do they choose their victims? It's about the unique combination of scents each of us gives off, which is partly influenced by our genes. Those of us who release more carbon dioxide and sweat are also a little more popular, because those factors help excite the mosquitoes. Watch the full video above to learn more about these frustrating — yet impressive — little creatures. And don't forget the repellent.