this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2025
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Why am I suddenly feeling mosquito needles? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 weeks ago by P00ptart@lemmy.world to c/askscience@lemmy.world
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This summer and last I started feeling the bite of mosquitoes, like, not the itch, but the moment they "bite". Like a thin shot or a thin plant spike but more than fiberglass. Is there an evolutionary or environmental change to mosquitoes happening, or am I becoming immune to their numbing agent? What's happening?

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[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 20 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The numbing agent they apply has a very short duration. So usually in my experience when you're feeling the bite, it's not the moment of bite you're feeling, but the moment that anesthetic wears off. They've hung on too long, basically.

So, it could be a difference in the mosquito population, but it could also be a difference in you, either in how quickly your blood can be sucked up by the mosquito, or how quickly the numbing agent gets processed.

You can explore this yourself pretty easily if you ever visually spot one before it bites. You can just let it bite, and then count how long it takes before you feel it. It's not long at all.

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Wild guess here, could it be that OP is getting immune to the numbing agent?

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

No clue, I don't know what its mechanism of action is. Probably one of the less-likely possibilities though.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 14 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

There are people who don't feel mosquito bites?

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago

Most people notice the landing more than the bite, or neither at all till they start itching later.

[–] starlinguk@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

They inject you with anaesthetic. So no, what you are feeling is not their 'bite'.

[–] bradboimler@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

I don't feel them

[–] SGforce@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

There are many species with slightly different anatomy. Some with larger or smaller "beaks". Some so delicate you would never feel it.

[–] MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

This is spot on. There are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes globally, and they're constantly expanding territories due to climate change. Some species like Asian tiger mosquitoes have more aggressive feeding behaviors and thicker proboscis than others. Your area probably has a new species that's either more painful or doesn't use as much anesthetic when feeding.

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 8 points 2 weeks ago

Not sure. I’ve always been able to feel them.

There are many species of mosquito, maybe a new one has invaded your area recently?

[–] Ushmel@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Probably a different species set up near you recently. We have dozens of species near me and some are as big as flies and some are more like gnats.

[–] buffalobuffalo@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Have you heard of heat rash (miliara rubra)?

It's not mosquitos, but your description of fiberglass and needles reminds me of this. It feels like each of my pores on my back has a needle in it when it happens.

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Oh yeah I've had heat rash, in Georgia in the army. It's not pleasant at all.

[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

now that you mention it you got me thinking about the logistics of mosquito bites lol

If I see a mosquito I feel it 100% of the time, however sometimes mosquito bites just appear where I never noticed the bite itself until it starts to itch later.

perhaps a placebo of my brain paying special attention to the area or something? idk

[–] i_ben_fine@midwest.social 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I was surprised by a mosquito actually hurting the other day. Most still don't.

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Right? It's weird cause you're like WTF?!? What is that?!? And you look and it's a mosquito. 🙄