While small in size, mosquitoes pose a big threat. You may already be familiar with the itchy, red welts they leave, and the diseases they can carry, such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya, but here are a few surprising facts you may not have been aware of.

1. Only Female Mosquitoes Bite

Globally, there are about 3,500 species of mosquitoes, and they can be found in virtually every part of the world. But not all species of mosquitoes prey on humans. While both male and female mosquitoes feed on nectar and plant sap as their nutrition source, only female mosquitoes need blood for egg production.

2. Mosquitoes Prefer Darker Colors

If you're trying to avoid mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, it’s best to opt for lighter-colored clothing as they can be attracted to darker colors.

3. Mosquitoes Do Prefer to Bite Some People Over Others

If you keep getting bit while those around you don’t, it may be because the mosquitoes are attracted to the body chemistry of some people over others. Chemicals such as carbon dioxide, which is emitted when you breathe out, and lactic acid, a compound found in sweat, attract mosquitoes.

4. A Full Moon Makes Mosquitoes More Active

Though some types of mosquitoes are more active during the day, according to the American Mosquito Control Association, one study reports a full moon can increase mosquito activity 500 percent!

5. Mosquitoes Need Only 14.5 Milliliters of Water to Breed

Mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs in still or stagnant water or wet earth, and they only require a small bit of water to do so. In fact, for development, the immature stages of some types of mosquitoes only need a tablespoon of water to breed, an amount that can easily collect in old tires, children's wading pools, holes in trees, bird baths, saucers underneath plants—even a bottle cap.

Sources