Mosquitos

It seems only right, as summer comes to a close, to kickstart this new year of "Bytes" with a hot weather nemesis of mine: the dreaded "Mosquito Byte/Bite."

When I first moved to California, I was assured this insatiable pest would no longer be part of my life. "Don't worry!" everyone said. The desert climate of Los Angeles will keep this nuisance at bay. And I believed each and every one of you. Led like a lamb to slaughter I went, thrilled to give up my former life of itchy welts.

Sadly, the ferocious appetite of the Culicidae clan (consisting of some 166 species in North America) was not keen on relinquishing their favorite meal ticket. The parade of bytes/bites has continued.

A number of reasons have been proffered regarding what makes for a saucy target. Some blame one's blood type. O is the flavor of choice (yes, that's mine). Some blame excessive body heat (all you menopausal women like me can now raise a white flag). Dark clothing is said to attract mosquitos as well. And the list goes on.  

Whatever I do, it's not enough to repel the cloud of insects that swirl around me. So, I have taken on a new mindset for this upcoming year, highlighted by the quote below. Great accomplishments, apparently, are for the small yet mighty!

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." - African proverb