Julia Ainsworth, age 11, of Magee, Miss 

What do mosquitoes eat?

The mouth of  a mosquito is a long beak with a sucking tube, somewhat like the straw we use for sipping sodas  This irritating insect, then, lives entirely on a liquid diet  Mrs  Mosquito has a strong beak, fitted with a surgical kit of saws and cutting tools, Her amazing beak is sturdy enough to pierce the skins of animals and people  She uses it to supply herself with a diet of fresh blood 

The beak of Mr  Mosquito is less sturdy  He cannot pierce skin and must be content with plant saps and other juices  He l1ves on fruit juices and the liquids sipped up from leaves and tender shoots.