FAMILY CULICIDAE (MOSQUITOS), INCLUDING GENERA Anopheles, Culex, Mansonia, Aedes

Images:

Life cycle:

Culex Life cycle.

Adult Culex emerging from pupal case:
http://www.k-state.edu/parasitology/625tutorials/Arthropods09.html

Phylogeny: Order Diptera

Metamorphosis: Complete. Larvae are aquatic.

Geographical location: Cosmopolitan

Organs affected: Skin

Symptoms and clinical signs: Bite is followed by erythema, swelling and itching.

Diseases transmitted: From: http://www.mosquitocontroltrap.com/mosquito_born_diseases

Mosquitoes and their Diseases

Aedes	Transmitted Diseases: Dengue fever Rift Valley fever Yellow fever
Aedes mosquitoes are painful and persistent biters, attacking during daylight hours (not at night). They do not enter dwellings, and they prefer to bite mammals like humans. Aedes mosquitoes are strong fliers and are known to fly many miles from their breeding sources.
Anopheles	Transmitted Diseases: Lymphatic filariasis Malaria
Anopheles mosquitoes are the only mosquito which transmits malaria to man. Anopheles quadrimaculatus is common in the eastern United States. A. freebonis is found west of the Rocky Mountains. The adult mosquitoes of both species are capable of transmitting malaria. They breed in ditches, ponds, swamps, and puddles. These mosquitoes are problems in areas where extensive irrigation of crops occurs. They enter structures to feed on humans, but, although aggressive, they are not painful biters
Culex	Transmitted Diseases: St. Louis encephalitis Japanese encephalitis Lymphatic filariasis West Nile Virus

Treatment/control: Residual spraying, drainage of marsh or swamp areas, covering of cisterns with diesel oil or covers. Biological control of larvae is accomplished with predaceous fish such as Gambusia (mosquitofish).