I enjoy watching different people respond to mosquitoes. Here in Coastal Georgia, mosquitoes reside somewhere around the top of the food chain, and we, their prey, all have very diverse reactions to the pests.

Lately, I’ve dedicated a little too much time and effort to noting people’s reactions. I watched a toddler swat at her arm over and over, long after the mosquito had flown away. I saw my 10-month-old daughter try to catch one with her mouth to eat it. She eats everything.

I saw a grown man yelp and jump when one pierced his skin. Then I saw a woman literally running away from a swarm. My favorite is the “helpful” friend who is never afraid to swat at one sitting on your cheek. Priceless.

It’s a wonder mosquitoes still aren’t trendy. I mean, they are the vampires of the insect world.

It makes you think: What if, in the folklore, vampires turned to mosquitoes instead of bats? Would we still loathe them so much?

Probably. I’m not quite the yelping, jumping, running and frantically swatting type, but I still think mosquitoes are vile creatures.

While I’m not prone to complaining too much about this beautiful area, mosquitoes represent the downside.

When we first moved to Georgia, I remember thinking that all of the insects took steroids. The flies are bigger here. The bees are bigger here. And yes, the mosquitoes are bigger here, and more prevalent, too.

These evil Georgia mosquitoes seem immune to bug spray. You put out a citronella candle, and they rejoice at a candlelight dinner.

With our new affinity for the outdoors, we’re quickly realizing the biggest challenge isn’t the heat or “roughing it.” It’s the mosquitoes.

West Nile and other serious diseases aside, they just bug me.