Page 129 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

Male Aedes spp. MOSQUITO LARVAE

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
Culex spp. Anopheles spp.

Male

Female
Male

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Drawing by Andrew Schaible

1.Antenna- 15 segmented, feathery 6.Thorax- shorter
2.Eyes- 2 compound 7.Petiole- none MOSQUITO
3.Head- piercing mouthparts “proboscis” 8.Abdomen- elongated
4.Legs- 6 elongated 9.Color- many varieties 1 5
5.Wings- along body at rest 10.Other- vector of diseases
Life Cycle
After the female mosquito obtains the blood meal, she lays her eggs directly on the surface
of stagnant water, or in a depression, or on the edge of a container where rainwater may
collect and flood the eggs. The eggs hatch and a mosquito larva emerges. The larva/
instar lives in the water, feeds on microscopic organisms, and then develops into a pupa.
The pupa also lives in the water, but no longer feeds. Finally, the mosquito emerges 8
from both the pupa case and the water as a fully developed adult, ready to bite. Only the
female bites. The egg, larva/instar and pupa stages are dependent on temperature to 2
determine how long they take for development. Some mosquitoes can go through their
life cycle in 14 days at 70º F and take only 10 days at 80º F. Other species have adapted
to go through their entire life cycle in as little as four days or as long as one month. 4
Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
Mosquitoes the Prolific Pests

Actual size 1/4”
Large numbers of mosquitoes can thrive in a relatively small quantity of stagnant water as long as it contains
enough food material. A six-acre lake was found to be producing about 500,000 mosquitoes per day! There
are about 200 species of mosquitoes in the United States, all of which live in specific habitats, exhibit unique
behaviors and bite many types of animals. Most are known to suck the blood of man. The big four mosquito
pests in Florida are:
• Florida St. Louis Encephalitis Mosquito (Culex nigriipalpus). This is the major vector of mosquito-borne
viruses and diseases in Florida. It especially spreads the West Nile Virus and the various encephalitis viruses.
It thrives in warm, humid coastal environments.
• Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Introduced in 1985, it has since spread to 25 states and makes its
habitat in plant containers and old tires. It is capable of being a vector of diseases, and has been implicated with
encephalitis viruses. It has become a major annoyance pest, being very aggressive.
• Black Salt Marsh Mosquito (Aedes taeniorhynchus). This is the most prevalent mosquito in the coastal areas,
responsible for most of the spraying efforts directed at mosquitoes. It emerges in large numbers after rains and
flooding, but is not a vector of diseases in humans.
• Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti). It is now declining in most areas other than the Florida Keys, having
been replaced by the Asian Tiger Mosquito, which has the same habitat. It is less annoying than the Asian Tiger
Mosquito since it is less aggressive.

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