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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the insect. For other uses,
see Mosquito (disambiguation).
Mosquito
Temporal range: 99–
0 Ma
PreꞒ
Ꞓ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Late
Cretaceous (Cenomanian)
– Recent
Aedes
aegypti, vector of yell
ow fever
Scientific
classification
Domain: Eukaryo
ta
Kingdom: Animali
a
Phylum: Arthrop
oda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfam Culicoid
ily: ea
Family: Culicida
e
Meigen,
1818[1]
Subfamilies
 Anophelinae
 Culicinae
Diversity
112 genera
Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a family of
small flies consisting of 3,600 species. The
word mosquito (formed by mosca and diminutive -ito)[2] is
Spanish and Portuguese for little fly.[3] Mosquitoes have a
slender segmented body, one pair of wings, three pairs of
long hair-like legs, and specialized, highly
elongated, piercing-sucking mouthparts. All mosquitoes
drink nectar from flowers; females of some species have
in addition adapted to drink blood. The group diversified
during the Cretaceous period. Evolutionary biologists view
mosquitoes as micropredators, small animals
that parasitise larger ones by drinking their blood without
immediately killing them. Medical parasitologists view
mosquitoes instead as vectors of disease,
carrying protozoan parasites
or bacterial or viral pathogens from one host to another.
The mosquito life cycle consists of four
stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Eggs are laid on the
water surface; they hatch into motile larvae that feed on
aquatic algae and organic material. These larvae are
important food sources for many freshwater animals, such
as dragonfly nymphs, many fish, and some birds. Adult
females of many species have mouthparts adapted to
pierce the skin of a host and feed on blood of a wide range
of vertebrate hosts, and some invertebrates, primarily
other arthropods. Some species only produce eggs after a
blood meal.
The mosquito's saliva is transferred to the host during the
bite, and can cause an itchy rash. In addition, blood-
feeding species can ingest pathogens while biting, and
transmit them to other hosts. Those species include
vectors of parasitic diseases such as malaria and filariasis,
and arboviral diseases such as yellow fever and dengue
fever. By transmitting diseases, mosquitoes cause the
deaths of over 725,000 people each year.
Description and life cycle
Like all flies, mosquitoes go through four stages in their life

cycles: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The first three stages
—egg, larva, and pupa—are largely aquatic,[4] the eggs
usually being laid in stagnant water.[5] They hatch to
become larvae, which feed, grow, and molt until they
change into pupae. The adult mosquito emerges from the
mature pupa as it floats at the water surface. Mosquitoes
have adult lifespans ranging from as short as a week to
around a month. Some species overwinter as adults
in diapause.[6]
Adult
Mosquitoes have one pair of wings, with distinct scales on
the surface. Their wings are long and narrow, while the
legs are long and thin. The body, usually grey or black, is
slender, and typically 3–6 mm long. When at rest,
mosquitoes hold their first pair of legs outwards, whereas
the somewhat similar Chironomid midges hold these legs
forwards.[7] Anopheles mosquitoes can fly for up to four
hours continuously at 1 to 2 km/h (0.62 to 1.24 mph),
[8]
traveling up to 12 km (7.5 mi) in a night. Males beat their
wings between 450 and 600 times per second, driven
indirectly by muscles which vibrate the thorax.[9]
[10]
Mosquitoes are mainly small flies; the largest are in the
genus Toxorhynchites, at up to 18 mm (0.71 in) in length
and 24 mm (0.94 in) in wingspan.[11] Those in the
genus Aedes are much smaller, with a wingspan of 2.8 to
4.4 mm (0.11 to 0.17 in).[12]
Mosquitoes can develop from egg to adult in hot weather
in as few as five days, but it may take up to a month.[13] At
dawn or dusk, within days of pupating, males assemble
in swarms, mating when females fly in.[14] The female
mates only once in her lifetime, attracted by the
pheromones emitted by the male.[15][16] As a species that
need blood for the eggs to develop, the female finds a
host and drinks a full meal of blood. She then rests for two
or three days to digest the meal and allow her eggs to
develop. She is then ready to lay the eggs and repeat the
cycle of feeding and laying.[14] Females can live for up to
three weeks in the wild, depending on temperature,
humidity, their ability to obtain a blood meal, and avoiding
being killed by their vertebrate hosts.[14][17]

Anatomy of an adult female mosquito
Adult yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, typical of

subfamily Culicinae. Male (left) has bushy antennae and
longer palps than female (right)
Eggs
The eggs of most mosquitoes are laid in stagnant water,
which may be a pond, a marsh, a temporary puddle, a
water-filled hole in a tree, or the water-trapping leaf axils of
a bromeliad. Some lay near the water's edge while others
attach their eggs to aquatic plants. A few, like Opifex
fuscus, can breed in salt-marshes.[5] Wyeomyia
smithii breeds in the pitchers of pitcher plants, its larvae
feeding on decaying insects that have drowned there.[18]
Oviposition, egg-laying, varies between
species. Anopheles females fly over the water, touching
down or dapping to place eggs on the surface one at a
time; their eggs are roughly cigar-shaped and have floats
down their sides. A female can lay 100–200 eggs in her
lifetime.[14] Aedes females drop their eggs singly, on damp
mud or other surfaces near water; their eggs hatch only
when they are flooded.[19] Females in genera such
as Culex, Culiseta, and Uranotaenia lay their eggs in
floating rafts.[20][21] Mansonia females in contrast lay their
eggs in arrays, attached usually to the under-surfaces of
waterlily pads.[22]
Clutches of eggs of most mosquito species hatch
simultaneously, but Aedes eggs in diapause hatch
irregularly over an extended period.[19]

Anopheles eggs with side floats


Electron micrograph of a culicine egg
Culex egg raft

Larva
The mosquito larva's head has prominent mouth brushes
used for feeding, a large thorax with no legs, and a
segmented abdomen. It breathes air through a siphon on
its abdomen, so must come to the surface frequently. It
spends most of its time feeding on algae, bacteria, and
other microbes in the water's surface layer. It dives below
the surface when disturbed. It swims either by propelling
itself with its mouth brushes, or by jerkily wriggling its
body. It develops through several stages, or instars,
molting each time, after which it metamorphoses into
a pupa.[13] Aedes larvae, except when very young, can
withstand drying; they go into diapause for several months
if their pond dries out.[19]

Anopheles larva
Anatomy of a Culex larva
Culex larvae plus one pupa

Pupa
The head and thorax of the pupa are merged into
a cephalothorax, with the abdomen curving around
beneath it. The pupa or "tumbler" can swim actively by
flipping its abdomen. Like the larva, the pupa of most
species must come to the surface frequently to breathe,
which they do through a pair of respiratory trumpets on
their cephalothoraxes. They do not feed; they pass much
of their time hanging from the surface of the water by their
respiratory trumpets. If alarmed, they swim downwards by
flipping their abdomens in much the same way as the
larvae. If undisturbed, they soon float up again. The adult
emerges from the pupa at the surface of the water and
flies off.[13]

Mosquito pupae, shortly before the adults emerged. The

head and thorax are fused into the cephalothorax.
Feeding by adults
Diet
Further information: Anautogeny
Female Ochlerotatus
notoscriptus feeding on blood from a human arm.
Both male and female mosquitoes feed on nectar, aphid
honeydew, and plant juices,[17] but in many species the
females are also blood-sucking ectoparasites. In some of
those species, a blood meal is essential for egg
production; in others, it just enables the female to lay more
eggs.[23] Both plant materials and blood are useful sources
of energy in the form of sugars. Blood supplies more
concentrated nutrients, such as lipids, but the main
function of blood meals is to obtain proteins for egg
production.[24][25] Mosquitoes like Toxorhynchites reproduce
autogenously, not needing blood meals. Disease vector
mosquitoes like Anopheles and Aedes are anautogenous,
requiring blood to lay eggs. Many Culex species are
partially anautogenous, needing blood only for their
second and subsequent clutches of eggs.[26]
Host animals
Blood-sucking mosquitoes favour particular host species,
though they are less selective when food is short. Different
mosquito species
favor amphibians, reptiles including snakes, birds,
and mammals. For example, Culiseta melanura sucks the
blood of passerine birds, but as mosquito numbers rise
they attack mammals including horses and humans,
causing epidemics of Eastern equine encephalitis virus in
North America.[27] Loss of blood from many bites can add
up to a large volume, occasionally causing the death
of livestock as large as cattle and horses.[28] Malaria-
transmitting mosquitoes seek out caterpillars and feed on
their haemolymph,[29] impeding their development.[30]

Feeding on a snake
Feeding on a frog
Feeding on a bird
Finding hosts
Blood-feeding female
mosquitoes find their hosts using multiple cues, including
exhaled carbon dioxide, heat, and many
different odorants.
Most mosquito species are crepuscular, feeding at dawn
or dusk, and resting in a cool place through the heat of the
day.[31] Some species, such as the Asian tiger mosquito,
are known to fly and feed during daytime.[32] Female
mosquitoes hunt for hosts by smelling substances such
as carbon dioxide (CO2) and 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom
alcohol, found in exhaled breath) produced from the host,
and through visual recognition.[33] The semiochemical that
most strongly attracts Culex quinquefasciatus is nonanal.
[34]
Another attractant is sulcatone.[35] A large part of the
mosquito's sense of smell, or olfactory system, is devoted
to sniffing out blood sources. Of 72 types of odor receptors
on its antennae, at least 27 are tuned to detect chemicals
found in perspiration.[36] In Aedes, the search for a host
takes place in two phases. First, the mosquito flies about
until it detects a host's odorants; then it flies towards them,
using the concentration of odorants as its guide.
[37]
Mosquitoes prefer to feed on people with type O blood,
an abundance of skin bacteria, high body heat, and
pregnant women.[38][39] Individuals' attractiveness to
mosquitoes has a heritable, genetically controlled
component.[40]
The multitude of characteristics in a host observed by the
mosquito allows it to select a host to feed on. This occurs
when a mosquito notes the presence of CO2, as it then
activates odour and visual search behaviours that it
otherwise would not use. In terms of a mosquito’s olfactory
system, chemical analysis has revealed that people who
are highly attractive to mosquitoes produce significantly
more carboxylic acids.[41] A human's unique body odour
indicates that the target is actually a human host rather
than some other living warm-blooded animal (as the
presence of CO2 shows). Body odour, composed
of volatile organic compounds emitted from the skin of
humans, is the most important cue used by mosquitoes.
[42]
Variation in skin odour is caused by body weight,
hormones, genetic factors, and metabolic or genetic
disorders. Infections such as malaria can influence an
individual’s body odour. People infected by malaria
produce relatively large amounts of Plasmodium-induced
aldehydes in the skin, creating large cues for mosquitoes
as it increases the attractiveness of an odour blend,
imitating a "healthy" human odour. Infected individuals
produce larger amounts of aldehydes heptanal, octanal,
and nonanal. These compounds are detected by mosquito
antennae. Thus, people infected with malaria are more
prone to mosquito biting.[43]
Contributing to a mosquito's ability to activate search
behaviours, a mosquito's visual search system includes
sensitivity to wavelengths from different colours.
Mosquitoes are attracted to longer wavelengths,
correlated to the colours of red and orange as seen by
humans, and range through the spectrum of human skin
tones. In addition, they have a strong attraction to dark,
high-contrast objects, because of how longer wavelengths
are perceived against a lighter-coloured background.[44]
Scanning electron microscope image

of the Labium tip of Culex mosquito
Different species of mosquitoes have evolved different
methods of identifying target hosts. Study of a domestic
form and an animal-biting form of the mosquito Aedes
aegypti showed that the evolution of preference for human
odour is linked to increases in the expression of
the olfactory receptor AaegOr4. This recognises a
compound present at high levels in human odour
called sulcatone. However, the malaria
mosquito Anopheles gambiae also has OR4 genes
strongly activated by sulcatone, yet none of them are
closely related to AaegOr4, suggesting that the two
species have evolved to specialise in biting humans
independently.[45]
Mouthparts
Further information: Insect mouthparts
Female mosquito mouthparts are highly adapted to
piercing skin and sucking blood. Males only drink sugary
fluids, and have less specialized mouthparts.[46]
Externally, the most obvious feeding structure of the
mosquito is the proboscis, composed of the labium, U-
shaped in section like a rain gutter, which sheaths a
bundle (fascicle) of six piercing mouthparts or stylets.
These are two mandibles, two maxillae, the hypopharynx,
and the labrum. The labium bends back into a bow when
the mosquito begins to bite, staying in contact with the
skin and guiding the stylets downwards. The extremely
sharp tips of the labrum and maxillae are moved
backwards and forwards to saw their way into the skin,
with just one thousandth of the force that would be needed
to penetrate the skin with a needle, resulting in a painless
insertion.[47][48][49]

Evolution of mosquito mouthparts,
with grasshopper mouthparts (shown both in situ and
separately) representing a more primitive condition. All the
mouthparts except the labium are stylets, formed into a
fascicle or bundle.
Mouthparts of a female mosquito while feeding on blood,

showing the flexible labium sheath supporting the piercing
and sucking tube which penetrates the host's skin
Saliva
Mosquito saliva contains enzymes that aid in sugar
feeding,[50] and antimicrobial agents that control bacterial
growth in the sugar meal.[51]
For a mosquito to obtain a blood meal, it must circumvent
its vertebrate host's physiological responses. Mosquito
saliva blocks the host's hemostasis system, with proteins
that reduce vascular constriction, blood clotting,
and platelet aggregation, to ensure the blood keeps
flowing.[52] It modulates the host's immune response via a
mixture of proteins which
lower angiogenesis and immunity; create inflammation;[52]
[53]
suppress tumor necrosis factor release from
activated mast cells;[54] suppress interleukin (IL)-2 and IFN-
γ production;[55][56] suppress T cell populations;[57][58]
[59]
decrease expression of interferon−α/β, making virus
infections more severe;[60][61] increase natural killer T cells in
the blood; and decrease cytokine production.[62]
Egg development and blood digestion
An Anopheles stephensi female is

engorged with blood and beginning to pass unwanted
liquid fractions to make room in its gut for more of the solid
nutrients.
Females of many blood-feeding species need a blood
meal to begin the process of egg development. A
sufficiently large blood meal triggers a hormonal cascade
that leads to egg development.[63] Upon completion of
feeding, the mosquito withdraws her proboscis, and as the
gut fills up, the stomach lining secretes a peritrophic
membrane that surrounds the blood. This keeps the blood
separate from anything else in the stomach. Like
many Hemiptera that survive on dilute liquid diets, many
adult mosquitoes excrete surplus liquid even when
feeding. This permits females to accumulate a full meal of
nutrient solids. The blood meal is digested over a period of
several days.[64] Once blood is in the stomach, the midgut
synthesizes protease enzymes, primarily trypsin assisted
by aminopeptidase, that hydrolyze the blood proteins into
free amino acids. These are used in the synthesis
of vitellogenin, which in turn is made into egg yolk protein.
[65]
Distribution
Cosmopolitan
Mosquitoes have a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring in
every land region except Antarctica and a few islands with
polar or subpolar climates, such as Iceland, which is
essentially free of mosquitoes.[66] This absence is probably
caused by Iceland's climate. Its weather is unpredictable,
freezing but often warming suddenly in mid-winter, making
mosquitoes emerge from pupae in diapause, and then
freezing again before they can complete their life cycle.[67][68]
Eggs of temperate zone mosquitoes are more tolerant of
cold than the eggs of species indigenous to warmer
regions.[69][70] Many can tolerate subzero temperatures,
while adults of some species can survive winter by
sheltering in microhabitats such as buildings or hollow
trees.[71] In warm and humid tropical regions, some
mosquito species are active for the entire year, but in
temperate and cold regions they hibernate or
enter diapause. Arctic or subarctic mosquitoes, like some
other arctic midges in families such
as Simuliidae and Ceratopogonidae may be active for only
a few weeks annually as melt-water pools form on the
permafrost. During that time, though, they emerge in huge
numbers in some regions; a swarm may take up to 300 ml
of blood per day from each animal in a caribou herd.[72]
Effect of climate change
For a mosquito to transmit disease, there must be
favorable seasonal conditions,[73] primarily humidity,
temperature, and precipitation.[74] El Niño affects the
location and number of outbreaks in East Africa, Latin
America, Southeast Asia and India. Climate
change impacts the seasonal factors and in turn the
dispersal of mosquitoes.[75] Climate models can use historic
data to recreate past outbreaks and to predict the risk of
vector-borne disease, based on an area's forecasted
climate.[76] Mosquito-borne diseases have long been most
prevalent in East Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia,
and India. An emergence in Europe was observed early in
the 21st century. It is predicted that by 2030, the climate of
southern Great Britain will be suitable for transmission
of Plasmodium vivax malaria by Anopheles mosquitoes for
two months of the year, and that by 2080, the same will be
true for southern Scotland.[77][78] Dengue fever, too, is
spreading northwards with climate change. The vector, the
Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, has by 2023
established across southern Europe and as far north as
much of northern France, Belgium, Holland, and
both Kent and West London in England.[79]
Ecology
Predators and parasites
Mosquito larvae are among the commonest animals in
ponds, and they form an important food source for
freshwater predators. Among the many aquatic insects
that catch mosquito larvae
are dragonfly and damselfly nymphs, whirligig beetles,
and water striders. Vertebrate predators include fish such
as catfish and the mosquitofish, amphibians including
the spadefoot toad and the giant tree frog, freshwater
turtles such as the red-eared slider, and birds such as
ducks.[80]
Emerging adults are consumed at the pond surface by
predatory flies including Empididae and Dolichopodidae,
and by spiders. Flying adults are captured by dragonflies
and damselflies, by birds such as swifts and swallows, and
by vertebrates including bats.[81]
Mosquitoes are parasitised
by hydrachnid mites, ciliates such
as Glaucoma, microsporidians such as Thelania, and fungi
including species
of Saprolegniaceae and Entomophthoraceae.[81]
Pollination
A mosquito visiting a marigold flower

for nectar
Several flowers including members of
the Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Orchidaceae are pollinated
by mosquitoes, which visit to obtain sugar-rich nectar.
They are attracted to flowers by a range of
semiochemicals such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones,
and terpenes. Mosquitoes have visited and pollinated
flowers since the Cretaceous period. It is possible that
plant-sucking exapted mosquitoes to blood-sucking.[17]
Parasitism
Further information: Parasitism
Ecologically, blood-feeding mosquitoes
are micropredators, small animals that feed on larger
animals without immediately killing them. Evolutionary
biologists see this as a form of parasitism; in Edward O.
Wilson's phrase "Parasites ... are predators that eat prey
in units of less than one."[82] Micropredation is one of six
major evolutionarily stable strategies within parasitism. It is
distinguished by leaving the host still able to reproduce,
unlike the activity of parasitic castrators or parasitoids; and
having multiple hosts, unlike conventional parasites.[83]
[84]
From this perspective, mosquitoes are ectoparasites,
feeding on blood from the outside of their hosts, using
their piercing mouthparts, rather than entering their
bodies. Unlike some other ectoparasites such
as fleas and lice, mosquitoes do not remain constantly on
the body of the host, but visit only to feed.[84]
Evolution
Fossil record
Culex malariager mosquito infected with
the malarial parasite Plasmodium dominicana,
in Dominican amber of Miocene age, 15–20 million years
ago[85]
A 2023 study suggested that Libanoculex
intermedius found in Lebanese amber, dating to
the Barremian age of the Early Cretaceous, around 125
million years ago was the oldest known mosquito.
[86]
However its identification as a mosquito is disputed,
with other authors considering it to be a chaoborid fly
instead.[87] Three other unambiguous species
of Cretaceous mosquito are known. Burmaculex
antiquus and Priscoculex burmanicus are known
from Burmese amber from Myanmar, which dates to the
earliest part of the Cenomanian age of the Late
Cretaceous, around 99 million years ago.[88][89] Paleoculicis
minutus, is known from Canadian amber from Alberta,
Canada, which dates to the Campanian age of the Late
Cretaceous, around 79 million years ago.[90] P.
burmanicus has been assigned to the Anophelinae,
indicating that the split between this subfamily and
the Culicinae took place over 99 million years ago.
[89]
Molecular estimates suggest that this split occurred
197.5 million years ago, during the Early Jurassic, but that
major diversification did not take place until the
Cretaceous.[91]
Taxonomy
Further information: List of mosquito genera
Over 3,600 species of mosquitoes in 112 genera have
been described. They are traditionally divided into two
subfamilies, the Anophelinae and the Culicinae, which
carry different diseases. Roughly speaking, protozoal
diseases like malaria are transmitted by anophelines,
while viral diseases such as yellow fever and dengue
fever are transmitted by culicines.[92]
The name Culicidae was introduced by the German
entomologist Johann Wilhelm Meigen in his seven-volume
classification published in 1818–1838.[93] Mosquito
taxonomy was advanced in 1901 when the English
entomologist Frederick Vincent Theobald published his 5-
volume monograph on the Culicidae.[94] He had been
provided with mosquito specimens sent in to the British
Museum (Natural History) from around the world, on the
1898 instruction of the Secretary of State for the
Colonies, Joseph Chamberlain, who had written that "in
view of the possible connection of Malaria with
mosquitoes, it is desirable to obtain exact knowledge of
the different species of mosquitoes and allied insects in
the various tropical colonies. I will therefore ask you ... to
have collections made of the winged insects in the Colony
which bite men or animals."[95]
Phylogeny
External
Mosquitoes are members of a family of true flies (Diptera):

the Culicidae (from the Latin culex, genitive culicis,
meaning "midge" or "gnat").[96] The phylogenetic tree is
based on the FLYTREE project.[97][98]
Diptera Ptychopteromorpha (phantom and
(true flies)
primitive crane-flies)
Culicomorp Chironomidae (non-biting
ha midges)
Simulioidea
(blackflies and biting
midges)
Culicoid Dixidae (menisc
ea us
midges)
Corethrellidae (
frog-biting
midges)
Chaoboridae (
Internal
Kyanne Reidenbach and colleagues analysed

mosquito phylogenetics in 2009, using both nuclear DNA
and morphology of 26 species. They note that
Anophelinae is confirmed to be rather basal, but that the
deeper parts of the tree are not well resolved.[99]
Culicidae
basal spp.
Anophelinae
Culicinae
other spp.
Interactions with humans
Anopheles albimanus feeding on a

human arm. As mosquitoes are the only vectors
of malaria, controlling them reduces its incidence.
Vectors of disease
Main article: Mosquito-borne disease
Mosquitoes are vectors for many disease-
causing microorganisms including bacteria, viruses,
and protozoan parasites. Nearly 700 million people
acquire a mosquito-borne illness each year, resulting in
over 725,000 deaths.[100] Common mosquito-borne viral
diseases include yellow fever[101] and dengue
fever transmitted mostly by Aedes aegypti.[102] Parasitic
diseases transmitted by mosquitoes
include malaria and lymphatic filariasis.
The Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria are carried
by female Anopheles mosquitoes. Lymphatic filariasis, the
main cause of elephantiasis, is spread by a wide variety of
mosquitoes.[103] A bacterial disease spread
by Culex and Culiseta mosquitoes is tularemia.[104]
Control
Main article: Mosquito control
Mosquito nets can prevent people

being bitten while they sleep.
Many measures have been tried for mosquito control,
including the elimination of breeding places, exclusion
via window screens and mosquito nets, biological
control with parasites such as fungi[105][106] and nematodes,
[107]
or predators such as fish,[108][109][110] copepods,
[111]
dragonfly nymphs and adults, and some species of
lizard and gecko.[112] Another approach is to introduce large
numbers of sterile males.[113] Genetic modification methods
including cytoplasmic incompatibility, chromosomal
translocations, sex distortion and gene replacement,
solutions seen as inexpensive and not subject to vector
resistance, have been explored.[114] Control of disease-
carrying mosquitoes using gene drives has been
proposed.[115][116]
Repellents
Main article: Insect repellent
Mosquito repellents (including

a mosquito coil) in a Finnish store
Insect repellents are applied on skin and give short-term
protection against mosquito bites. The
chemical DEET repels some mosquitoes and other
insects.[117] Some CDC-recommended repellents
are picaridin, eucalyptus oil (PMD), and ethyl
butylacetylaminopropionate (IR3535).[118] Pyrethrum (from
Chrysanthemum species, particularly C.
cinerariifolium and C. coccineum) is an effective plant-
based repellent.[119] Electronic insect repellent devices that
produce ultrasounds intended to keep away insects (and
mosquitoes) are marketed. No EPA or university study has
shown that these devices prevent humans from being
bitten by a mosquito.[120]
Bites
Further information: Mosquito bite allergies
Mosquito bites lead to a variety of skin reactions and more
seriously to mosquito bite allergies.
[121]
Such hypersensitivity to mosquito bites is an excessive
reaction to mosquito saliva proteins.[122] Numerous species
of mosquito can trigger such reactions, including Aedes
aegypti, A. vexans, A. albopictus, Anopheles
sinensis, Culex pipiens,[123] Aedes communis, Anopheles
stephensi,[124] C. quinquefasciatus, C. tritaeniorhynchus,
[125]
and Ochlerotatus triseriatus.[126] Cross-reactivity
between salivary proteins of different mosquitoes implies
that allergic responses may be caused by virtually any
mosquito species.[127] Treatment can be with anti-
itch medications, including some taken orally, such
as diphenhydramine, or applied to the skin
like antihistamines or corticosteroids such
as hydrocortisone. Aqueous ammonia (3.6%) also
provides relief.[128] Both topical heat[129] and cold may be
useful as treatments.[130]
In human culture
Greek mythology
Arthur Rackham's illustration of

the fable of "The Bull and the Mosquito", 1912
Ancient Greek beast fables including "The Elephant and
the Mosquito" and "The Bull and the Mosquito", with the
general moral that the large beast does not even notice
the small one, derive ultimately from Mesopotamia.[131]
Origin myths
The peoples of Siberia have origin myths surrounding the
mosquito. One Ostiak myth tells of a man-eating
giant, Punegusse, who is killed by a hero but will not stay
dead. The hero eventually burns the giant, but the ashes
of the fire become mosquitoes that continue to plague
mankind. Other myths from the Yakuts, Goldes (Nanai
people), and Samoyed have the insect arising from the
ashes or fragments of some giant creature or demon.
Similar tales found in Native North American myth, with
the mosquito arising from the ashes of a man-eater,
suggest a common origin. The Tatars of the Altai had a
variant of the same myth, involving the fragments of the
dead giant, Andalma-Muus, becoming mosquitoes and
other insects.[132]
Lafcadio Hearn tells that in Japan, mosquitoes are seen
as reincarnations of the dead, condemned by the errors of
their former lives to the condition of Jiki-ketsu-gaki, or
"blood-drinking pretas".[133]
Modern era
How a Mosquito Operates (1912)
Winsor McCay's 1912 film How a Mosquito Operates was
one of the earliest works of animation. It has been
described as far ahead of its time in technical quality.[134] It
depicts a giant mosquito tormenting a sleeping man.[135]
Twelve ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name
HMS Mosquito or the archaic form of the name,
HMS Musquito.[136]
The de Havilland Mosquito was a high-speed aircraft
manufactured between 1940 and 1950, and used in many
roles.[137]
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Further reading
 Winegard, Timothy Charles (2019). The mosquito: a
human history of our deadliest predator. Penguin
Random House. ISBN 978-
1524743413. OCLC 1111638283.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Culicidae.
 Quotations related to Mosquitoes at Wikiquote

 Mosquito at IFAS
 A film clip describing The Life Cycle of the Mosquito is
available for viewing at the Internet Archive
 Parasitic Insects, Mites and Ticks: Genera of Medical
and Veterinary Importance Wikibooks
 v
 t
 e
Extant Diptera families
Taxon identifiers
Culicidae Wikidata: Q7367
Wikispecies: Culicidae
ADW: Culicidae
AFD: CULICIDAE
BioLib: 17369
BOLD: 1730
BugGuide: 169
CoL: 8SG
EoL: 473
EPPO: 1CULIF
Fauna Europaea: 11650
Fauna Europaea (new): ef7da5aa-
e818-4835-bb5d-2221077b0f68
GBIF: 3346
iNaturalist: 52134
IRMNG: 101749
ISC: 106720
ITIS: 125930
NBN: NBNSYS0000040182
NCBI: 7157
NZOR: 83783aab-eef4-432f-acb5-
9c17a8e155b0
Open Tree of Life: 269670
Paleobiology Database: 138308
WoRMS: 150945
Authority control databases
Germany
United States
France
National BnF data
Japan
Czech Republic
Israel
Other NARA
Categories:
 Culicidae
 Insect vectors of human pathogens
 Ectoparasites
 Extant Jurassic first appearances
 Hematophages
 Mosquito genera
 Insects in culture
 Aquatic insects
 Hazards of outdoor recreation
 This page was last edited on 14 September 2024, at 19:55 (UTC).
 Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0;
additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of
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device, it is electrocuted, killing it instantly.
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Nextgen Pest Solutions
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Search for: What kills mosquitoes instantly?

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https://msdh.ms.gov › page
Search for: How can I protect myself from mosquitoes at night?

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Choose a mosquito net that is compact, white, rectangular, with 156 holes per square
inch, and long enough to tuck under the mattress. Permethrin-treated mosquito nets
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Amerisleep

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does all of this mean for how attractive you are to mosquitoes? Generally speaking,
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Search for: Which blood type attracts mosquitoes?

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4. Use an over-the-counter anti-itch or antihistamine cream to help relieve itching.
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Search for: How do you make mosquito bites go away fast?

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is a mosquito-borne disease warning in effect.16 May 2024
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How long do mosquitoes live after they bite you?
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with blood, female mosquitoes fly over to vegetation to digest the blood meal so they
can be ready to lay their eggs, Gray says.29 May 2023
How long do mosquitoes live? Your guide to pest season. - USA

Today
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How to repel mosquitoes?
Mosquito repellents that work
1. DEET works. DEET, chemical name, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, was developed in the
1950s by the U.S. Army and is a well-established mosquito repellent with a long history
of use. ...
2. Picaridin works. ...
3. Oil of lemon eucalyptus, or OLE, works. ...
4. Other essential oils – some work, some not so much.
10 Jul 2023
Here are the repellents you can use to avoid mosquito bites | PBS
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What do mosquitoes hate most?
Certain natural scents from essential oils and plants, like citronella and lavender, repel
mosquitoes and prevent them from biting. Commercial insect repellents use synthesized
plant compounds for maximum effectiveness against mosquitoes.3 Jul 2024
What Smells Do Mosquitoes Hate? - Native Pest Management

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What colors do mosquitoes hate?
One study found that red, orange, cyan (blue-green), and black tend to draw
mosquitoes, while colors that make you more difficult to see can repel mosquitoes,
including white, green, blue, and purple. Based on these findings, wearing pastels in
cooler hues may reduce your risk of bites.5 Jun 2023
Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Certain Colors? - Hawx Pest Control

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What to wear to avoid mosquitoes?
To guard against these pests, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats to cover
your skin. Opt for thick, tightly woven fabrics, which are tougher for mosquitoes to
penetrate. Boost your defense by treating your clothes with permethrin, a fabric-safe
insect repellent.25 May 2024
What to Wear to Prevent Mosquito Bites This Summer

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Which blood type do mosquitoes hate?
While mosquitoes do seem to be attracted to specific blood types, there isn't one that
mosquitoes completely dislike or avoid. However, studies have found that mosquitoes
are generally less attracted to individuals with Type A blood, especially when given the
choice to feast on our Type O friends.9 May 2024
Yes, Mosquitoes Can Tell Your Blood Type | Our Blood Institute
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Are there any benefits to mosquito bites?
The saliva of these blood-sucking creatures contains many bioactive ingredients,
including some which prevent clot formation, and others that promote the growth of new
blood vessels. In addition, some have immunomodulatory functions.28 Apr 2022
How do mosquito bites affect immunity? - News-Medical

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How to become immune to mosquito bites?
0:17
5:10
But like any allergy the only way to become desensitized. Is with repeated
exposure. And I'm notMore
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What drink attracts mosquitoes?
beer
Multiple studies have demonstrated that beer consumption can make humans more
attractive to mosquitoes. One small study of 43 volunteers funded by the French National
Research Agency showed that mosquitoes landed on people significantly more after
drinking a beer.
What Attracts Mosquitoes & How They Find You - Raid

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What kills the most mosquitoes?
Gambusia Affinis
As far as natural predators go I think it can be said without hesitation that the
mosquitofish is by far the most efficient natural predator of mosquitoes. Full-grown
females can reach a length of up to 2.5 inches and males up to 1.5 inches.
Natural Mosquito Predators | West Baton Rouge Parish, LA

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Do mosquitoes prefer light or dark skin?
The recent findings from the University of Washington study revealed that color alone,
in the absence of an odor stimulus like carbon dioxide, had no significant impact on the
mosquito's behavior.3 May 2024
Are Mosquitoes Attracted and Repelled by Color? - Terminix

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Does toothpaste help mosquito bites?
Actual toothpaste can calm the itch from a mosquito bite. Apply a dab and let it dry to
also help with the swelling. Toothpastes with peppermint extract/menthol or baking soda
will be even more effective than other toothpastes. Some mouthwashes can also help
with a mosquito bite itch.5 Aug 2021
Mosquito Bites: What You Should Know | Arrow Exterminating

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How to prevent mosquito bites while sleeping?
Sleep tight and don't let the mosquitoes bite.
1. #1: Sleep inside of a mosquito net. ...
2. #2: Sleep under a fast-moving fan or sleep with the A/C on. ...
3. #3: Plug in an electric mosquito repellent. ...
4. #4: Cover your body with mosquito repellent. ...
5. #5: Wear long pajamas. ...
6. #6: Shower before bed to avoid the scent of sweat.
More items...
7 Ways to Keep Pests Away While Sleeping - Mosquito Squad

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Why do mosquitoes bite me and not my husband?
Mosquitoes do, indeed, find some people more attractive than others. Dark clothing,
blood type, sweat, carbon dioxide, pregnancy, skin bacteria, and beer consumption are
some things researchers have found tend to draw mosquitoes to someone.28 Jan 2024
9 Reasons Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others

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What does it mean if mosquitoes bite you a lot?
If you feel like mosquitoes bite you more often than other people, you may be onto
something! Several specific factors can attract mosquitoes, including the carbon dioxide
you exhale, your body odor, and your body temperature. A combination of these factors
likely makes certain people more attractive to mosquitoes.8 Oct 2019
Why Mosquitos Bite Some People More Than Others - Healthline

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Why do mosquitoes never bite me?
It has taken decades of research, but scientists are close to working out why
mosquitoes bite some people, and not others. It comes down to a complex trifecta of
carbon dioxide, body temperature and body odour that makes some people more
inviting to mozzies than others.7 Sept 2020
Why do mozzies bite some people and not others? - MQ Lighthouse

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What kills mosquitoes the best naturally?
A simple home remedy for killing mosquitoes is to create a solution using equal parts
water and isopropyl alcohol. Then, spray this mixture directly on mosquitoes to eliminate
them.30 May 2023
10 Home Remedies For Mosquito Control - Natural Ways That Work!

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How do I stop mosquitoes from entering my room?
Control mosquitoes inside your home
1. Install or repair and use window and door screens.
2. Close doors, including garage doors. Do not leave doors propped open.
3. Use air conditioning when possible.
16 Apr 2024
Mosquito Control at Home - CDC

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How to stop getting bitten at night?
To help prevent bug bites, dermatologists recommend the following tips:
1. Use insect repellent. To protect against mosquitoes, ticks and other bugs, use insect
repellent that contains 20 to 30 percent DEET on exposed skin and clothing. ...
2. Wear appropriate clothing. ...
3. Use bed nets. ...
4. Pay attention to outbreaks.
Tips to prevent and treat bug bites - American Academy of

Dermatology
American Academy of Dermatology
https://www.aad.org › everyday-care › injured-skin › pre...
Search for: How to stop getting bitten at night?

What is the best thing to use to keep mosquitoes from biting you?
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents. Wear loose-
fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants. Wear clothing and gear treated with permethrin.
Control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors.28 Aug 2024

CDC
Search for: What is the best thing to use to keep mosquitoes from biting you?
How to avoid mosquitos?
Maintain fly screens on windows, doors, vents and chimneys. Use insect surface sprays
both inside and outside the house to kill mosquitoes. Use an effective mosquito
repellent, containing either picaridin or diethyltoulamide (DEET) on all exposed skin.
Remove stagnant water around the house so mosquitoes cannot breed.
Mosquitoes - protect your home checklist - Better Health Channel

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How to chase mosquitoes away at night naturally?
Use Essential Oils
Essential oils like lavender, tea tree, neem, citronella, eucalyptus and mint oil work as
powerful mosquito repellents. Mix a few drops of any of these essential oils in some
water, add it to a spray bottle and spray it around the home.13 Aug 2020
7 natural and effective ways to keep the mosquitoes away

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Amerisleep
How do you make mosquitoes ignore you?
“Covering up as much as possible during the summer is really important, and applying
an EPA-registered insect repellent, with ingredients such as DEET and picaridin,”
McMeniman said. For people who prefer botanical products, he recommends oil of
lemon eucalyptus.24 Jun 2023
How to repel mosquitoes, according to science - CNN

CNN
https://www.cnn.com › 2023/06/24 › health › how-repel...
Search for: How do you make mosquitoes ignore you?

How do you sleep peacefully with mosquitoes?
Freshening up before bedtime, including showering and changing clothes, reduces
scents and skin exposure that attract mosquitoes. Employing physical barriers like
mosquito nets and window screens can prevent mosquitoes from entering sleeping
areas.22 May 2024
How to Prevent Mosquito Bites While Sleeping | LaJaunie's Pest

Control
LaJaunie's Pest Control
https://www.lajaunies.com › blog › how-to-prevent-mos...
Search for: How do you sleep peacefully with mosquitoes?

What smell will keep mosquitoes away?
Planting lavender in your garden or using lavender essential oil can help repel
mosquitoes. Peppermint Oil has a strong scent that mosquitoes find unpleasant. Diluted
peppermint oil can be applied to the skin or used in diffusers to deter mosquitoes. Basil
plants emit a strong aroma that repels mosquitoes.
Scents that Repel Mosquitoes - Simply Green Lawn Care

Simply Green Lawn Care
https://www.simplygreenlawncare.com › blog › what-sce...
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Do mosquitoes hate perfume?
That's why it doesn't work when you're trying to mask B.O. (something mosquitoes like)
with perfume or cologne (something mosquitoes love). Both types of smells will attract
the pests to you, and perfume can actually make that draw worse.23 Nov 2020
Fact or Fiction: Does Perfume Attract Mosquitoes?

Tuxedo Mosquito Control
https://www.tuxedomosquitocontrol.com › november › f...
Search for: Do mosquitoes hate perfume?

What soap do mosquitoes hate?
Researchers say coconut-scented soaps were among the most effective at repelling
mosquitoes.10 May 2023
Are mosquitoes attracted to you? Try using a different kind of soap

MedicalNewsToday
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com › articles › washing-...
Search for: What soap do mosquitoes hate?

What attracts mosquitoes?
What attracts mosquitoes? The answer is complicated and includes factors such
as body heat, carbon dioxide, and other volatile compounds/odors emitted from the
human skin. Researchers have shown that mosquitoes are more attracted to human
odors than animal odors.

The Scientist
Search for: What attracts mosquitoes?

What can I drink to keep mosquitoes away?
Lemongrass contains an oil called citronella, a common mosquito repellent. Swap your
summer glass of lemonade for a chilled glass of lemongrass tea or carefully use
lemongrass oil on your skin for a quick mosquito repellent.6 Jul 2020
Keep Mosquitoes Away by Eating These Foods - Arrow Exterminators

Arrow Exterminators
https://www.arrowexterminators.com › blog › keep-mos...
Search for: What can I drink to keep mosquitoes away?

What kills mosquitoes fast?
What stops mosquitoes from biting me?
How can I keep mosquitoes away from me?
Why do mosquitoes bite me so much?

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Like all flies, mosquitoes go through four stages in their life

Anatomy of an adult female mosquito

Adult yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, typical of

Anopheles eggs with side floats

Electron micrograph of a culicine egg

Culex egg raft

Anatomy of a Culex larva

Culex larvae plus one pupa

Mosquito pupae, shortly before the adults emerged. The

Scanning electron microscope image

Mouthparts of a female mosquito while feeding on blood,

An Anopheles stephensi female is

A mosquito visiting a marigold flower

Mosquitoes are members of a family of true flies (Diptera):

Kyanne Reidenbach and colleagues analysed

Anopheles albimanus feeding on a

Mosquito nets can prevent people

Mosquito repellents (including

Arthur Rackham's illustration of

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Culicidae.

 Quotations related to Mosquitoes at Wikiquote

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