Description:
It's
easy to recognize a mosquito when it lands on your arm and bites you.
Most people don't take a close look at this insect, tending instead to
slap it the moment it bites. Members of the family Culicidae do exhibit
common characteristics, if you can bear to spend a moment examining
them.
Mosquitoes belong to the suborder Nematocera – true flies
with long antennae. Mosquito antennae have 6 or more segments. The
male's antennae are quite plumose, providing lots of surface area for
detecting female mates. Female antennae are short-haired.
Mosquito wings have scales along the veins and the margins. The mouthparts – a long proboscis – allow the adult mosquito to drink nectar, and in the case of the female, blood.
Mosquito wings have scales along the veins and the margins. The mouthparts – a long proboscis – allow the adult mosquito to drink nectar, and in the case of the female, blood.
Classification:
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Arthropoda
Class – Insecta
Order – Diptera
Family - Culicidae
Phylum - Arthropoda
Class – Insecta
Order – Diptera
Family - Culicidae
Diet:
Larvae feed on organic matter
in the water, including algae, protozoans, decaying debris, and even
other mosquito larvae. Adult mosquitoes of both sexes feed on nectar
from flowers. Only females require a bloodmeal in order to produce eggs.
The female mosquito may feed on blood of birds, reptiles, amphibians,
or mammals (including humans).
Life Cycle:
Mosquitoes
undergo complete metamorphosis with four stages. The female mosquito
lays her eggs on the surface of fresh or standing water; some species
lay eggs on damp soil prone to inundation. Larvae hatch and live in the
water, most using a siphon to breathe at the surface. Within one to two
weeks, the larvae pupate. Pupae cannot feed, but can be active while
floating on the water's surface. Adults emerge, usually in just a few
days, and sit on the surface until they are dry and ready to fly. Adult
females live two weeks to two months; adult males may only live a week.
Special Adaptations and Defenses:
Male
mosquitoes use their plumose antennae to sense the species-specific
buzzing of females. The mosquito produces its "buzz" by fluttering its
wings up to 250 times per second.
Females seek bloodmeal hosts by detecting carbon dioxide and octenol produced in breath and sweat. When a female mosquito senses CO2 in the air, she flies upwind until she finds the source. Mosquitoes don't require blood to live, but need the proteins in a bloodmeal to develop their eggs.
Females seek bloodmeal hosts by detecting carbon dioxide and octenol produced in breath and sweat. When a female mosquito senses CO2 in the air, she flies upwind until she finds the source. Mosquitoes don't require blood to live, but need the proteins in a bloodmeal to develop their eggs.
Range and Distribution:
Mosquitoes of the
family Culicidae live worldwide, except in Antarctica, but require
habitat with standing or slow moving fresh water for young to develop.
Sources:
- Diptera: Culicidae. (Accessed May 13, 2008).
- Family Culicidae - Mosquitoes - BugGuide.Net. (Accessed May 13, 2008).
- Mosquito - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Accessed May 13, 2008).