Judy Wright Special to The Citizen In spite of the up and down temperatures this spring, we will soon be enjoying the outdoors with each other â and, unfortunately, the pesky mosquito. As I have mentioned previously, everything in nature has a purpose. It just so happens that mosquitoes, while annoying to humans and other mammals, are an excellent food source for many birds. Hummingbirds happen to be one of the biggest consumers of mosquitoes. The word "mosquito" is Spanish for "little fly." The female mosquito has a tube-like mouthpart, called a proboscis, that pierces the skin to consume blood. The small amount of blood they withdraw goes unnoticed. The saliva of the mosquito often causes an irritation to the skin. Some people are more allergic than others to the mosquitoâs bite.