Mosquitoes are small, midge-like flies that constitute the family Culicidae.

Females of most species

are ectoparasites, whose tube-like mouthparts (called a proboscis) pierce the hosts' skin to consume blood. The
word "mosquito" (formed by moscoand diminutive -ito) is Spanish for "little fly". Thousands of species feed on
the blood of various kinds of hosts, mainly vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and
even some kinds of fish. Some mosquitoes also attackinvertebrates, mainly arthropods. Though the loss of
blood is seldom of any importance to the victim, the saliva of the mosquito often causes an irritating rash that is
a serious nuisance. Much more serious though, are the roles of many species of mosquitoes as vectors of
diseases. In passing from host to host, some transmit extremely harmful infections such as malaria, yellow
fever, Chikungunya, West Nile virus, dengue fever, filariasis, Zika virus and other arboviruses, rendering it the
deadliest animal family in the world.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease affecting humans and other animals caused by
parasitic protozoans (a group of single-celledmicroorganisms) belonging to the Plasmodium type. Malaria
causes symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases it can
cause yellow skin, seizures, coma, or death. Symptoms usually begin ten to fifteen days after being bitten. If not
properly treated, people may have recurrences of the disease months later. In those who have recently survived
an infection, reinfection usually causes milder symptoms. This partial resistance disappears over months to
years if the person has no continuing exposure to malaria.
Yellow fever is an acute viral disease. In most cases, symptoms includefever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea,
muscle pains particularly in the back, and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In some
people within a day of improving, the fever comes back, abdominal pain occurs, and liver damage begins
causing yellow skin. If this occurs, the risk of bleeding and kidney problems is also increased.
Chikungunya is an infection caused by the chikungunya virus. The disease features the sudden onset
of fever two to four days after exposure. The fever usually lasts two to seven days, while accompanying joint
pains typically last weeks or months but sometimes years. The mortality rate is a little less than 1 in 1,000; the
elderly or those with underlying chronic medical problems are most likely to have severe complications.
West Nile fever is a mosquito-borne infection by the West Nile virus. Approximately 80% of West Nile virus
infections in humans have few or no symptoms.[1] In the cases where symptoms do occurtermed West Nile
fever in cases without neurological diseasethe time from infection to the appearance of symptoms is typically
between 2 and 15 days. Symptoms may include fever, headaches, feeling tired, muscle
pain or aches, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and rash. Less than 1% of the cases are severe and result in
neurological disease when the central nervous system is affected. People of advanced age, the very young, or
those with immunosuppression, either medically induced, such as those taking immunosuppressive,
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms typically begin three
to fourteen days after infection. This may include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and

a characteristic skin rash. Recovery generally takes less than two to seven days. In a small proportion of cases,
the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of
blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood
pressure occurs.
Filariasis (or philariasis) is a parasitic disease caused by an infection withroundworms of
the Filarioidea type. These are spread by blood-feedingblack flies and mosquitoes. This disease belongs to the
group of diseases called helminthiases.
Mosquito Species
According to the American Mosquito Control Association, there are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the
world, and at least 176 of them can be found in the United States. The most common, and most dangerous, are
the various species in the Culex, Anopheles, and Aedesgenera.
Culex mosquitoes
These mosquitoes tend to hibernate over the winter and breed during the warmer months, laying rafts of eggs at
night on the surface of standing water anywhere it can be found. Over a period of about two weeks, the eggs
hatch, larvae emerge, develop into pupae, and then into adult mosquitoes.
They normally dont travel more than a few hundred yards from where they hatched. Adults feed primarily from
dusk until a few hours after dark and are considered aggressive and persistent biters, although they prefer birds
to people. Females need the protein in blood to develop eggs, which they lay about every third night. They can
live up to a month. The most prevalent is the Culex pipiens, known as the northern house mosquito. It is the
main carrier of West Nile virus.
Anopheles mosquitoes
Mosquito species in this group also breed during the warmer months. Females also deposit their eggs on the
surface of water in groups of 50 to 200. The eggs hatch and go through the same developmental process
as Culex mosquitoes.
However, unlike other mosquito larvae, Anopheles larvae do not have breathing tubes, so they must lie parallel
to the surface and breath through holes in their sides called spiracles. While Culex mosquitoes can breed and
thrive in stagnant or polluted water, the Anophelesmosquitoes prefer clean water habitats in marshes, swamps,
and rice fields, among others.
The adult females usually live about two weeks and feed at dusk and dawn. They tend to feed on people and
cattle, rather than other warm-blooded creatures.
Aedes mosquitoes
The mosquitoes in this genera are floodwater mosquitoes, meaning they lay
their eggs on moist soil or in containers that periodically catch rainfall. They
prefer to breed in treeholes, overflow ditches, and old tires.
The eggs can survive drying and hatch once flooded by water. They develop
in a four-stage process like other mosquitoes. As a predominantly tropical
and subtropical group, Aedes mosquitoes tend to breed in warm weather,
although some species can survive in colder environments.

The adults feed day and night, and several of the species are considered particularly troublesome. Aedes vexans,
the inland floodwater mosquito, is known as a fierce and painful biter.
Two Aedes mosquitoes are also carriers of dangerous disease. Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito,
transmits dengue fever andeastern equine encephalitis, while Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito,
transmits dengue and yellow fever.

ZIKA Virus
Having spread to almost every country in the Americas, on 1 February 2016, the Zika virus was declared a
global public health emergency by World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan, who called it
an extraordinary event. On 13 April 2016, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a
report confirming that the Zika virus does cause a rare birth defect called microcephaly a neurological
disorder that results in babies being born with abnormally small heads and developmental issues.
The Zika virus is typically transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, but it can also be spread sexually,
causing the CDC to update its guidance to couples. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are aggressive daytime biters and

officials are warning people of the need to be vigilant, cover up and reapply repellent regularly. The Asian tiger
mosquito (Aedes albopictus) which is also established throughout the United States, and transmits dengue fever
and Chikungunya, may also be capable of transmitting the Zika virus.
There is no vaccine, treatment or cure for the disease and travelers to infected areas are being urged to prevent
mosquito bites as the best and only protection against the disease. Pregnant women are being warned against
travel to countries where Zika is present because of risk to their unborn babies.
Most people infected with Zika (80%) have no symptoms or dont realize they have it because symptoms are
typically mild. Common signs to look out for include slight fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes).
The World Health Organization estimates 3 to 4 million people across the Americas, will be infected with the
virus in the coming year. To date the Zika virus is now being locally transmitted in Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil,
Cape Verde, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname,
American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela.
Intresting facts

Mosquitoes are known from as far back as the Triassic Period 400 million years ago. They are known from Nor
million years ago.

There are about 2,700 species of mosquito. There are 176 species in the United States.

The average mosquito weighs about 2.5 milligrams.

The average mosquito takes in about 5-millionths of a liter of blood during feeding.

Mosquitoes find hosts by sight (they observe movement); by detecting infra-red radiation emitted by warm bodie
are attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid, among other chemicals) at distances of 25 to 35 meters.

Mosquitoes fly an estimated 1 to 1.5 miles per hour.

Salt marsh mosquitoes can migrate up to 40 miles for a meal.

Bigger people are often more attractive to mosquitoes because they are larger targets and they produce more mos
lactic acid.

Active or fidgety people also produce more CO2 and lactic acid.

Smelly feet are attractive to certain species of mosquitoes as is Limburger Cheese.

Dark clothing has been shown to attract some species of mosquitoes more than lighter colored clothing.

Movement increased mosquito biting up to 50% in some research tests.

A full moon increased mosquito activity 500% in one study

The mosquitoes are not found in Iceland and Faroe Islands, the only countries in the world where they do not
exist.

Culex

Scientific classification
Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Arthropoda

Class:

Insecta

Order:

Diptera

Suborder:

Nematocera

Infraorder:

Culicomorpha

Superfamily:

Culicoidea

Family:

Culicidae