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Some picky Australian mosquitoes may target frog nostrils for blood

Thinner skin or denser blood vessels could explain why

A composite shows six images of tree frog species with Australian mosquitoes on their noses.

One species of Australian mosquito (Mimomyia elegans) seems to have a predilection for feeding off the nostrils of several species of tree frog (pictured).

J. Gould

By Jake Buehler

An Australian mosquito species knows the best spot to drink its bloody meals: a frog’s nostril.

The bloodsuckers are surprisingly selective when dining on frogs, seemingly picking no other place on the body to feast, researchers report November 21 in Ethology.