That’s also the reason I wrote this book; more than anything, I want to help you—the everyday reader—avoid mosquitoes. The best way to do that is to learn about mosquitoes; that’s why this book covers everything from the basics of the mosquito’s life cycle and how mosquitoes seek out hosts, to the “Big Three” medically important types of mosquitoes and the repellents that can help keep them away. I’m also including a sampling of fun mosquito-related facts and a collection of mosquito-related superstitions that never seem to go away. (Hint: Listerine won’t get rid of mosquitoes.)
In short, I hope this book helps you laugh a little and learn a lot, but most importantly, I hope it helps you escape the worst that mosquito season has to offer.
The Basics
If you want to know how to avoid mosquitoes, you need to learn about the different types of mosquitoes found in North America, their life cycle, and perhaps most importantly, the basics about mosquito habitat and behavior. Consider this section of the book your primer to the world of the mosquito.
What Are Mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes are insects. Specifically, they are small flies in the scientific family Culicidae.
For those of you needing (a brief!) refresher on your biology: Scientists use the taxonomic system to classify and catalog life. There are eight categories, or ranks, in it. The general idea is pretty simple: the lower the rank, the more specific you get.
As you can see, just a quick look at the taxonomic system tells us a lot about mosquitoes. We can immediately see that they are insects, and more than that, they are a specific type of insect—true flies—which means that mosquitoes belong to the same order as black flies and the common housefly.
Domain—Eukaryota
Kingdom—Animalia
Phylum—Arthropoda
Class—Insecta
Order—Diptera
(true flies, including mosquitoes)
Family—Culicidae (mosquitoes)
Genus
Species
Mosquito Anatomy
All insects, including mosquitoes, have three main body parts: a head, a thorax and an abdomen. They also have three sets of legs and one or two pairs of wings.
Like other flies, mosquitoes have a number of features2 in common: they have one pair of wings, large compound eyes, mouthparts adapted for sucking (or in the case of mosquitoes, piercing), a pair of simple antennae (though mosquito antennae are often long and frilly) and a pair of (often tiny) halteres, small stump-like wing remnants that act as flight stabilizers.
At a quick glance, crane flies look like supersized mosquitoes, but the resemblance is only skin-deep. Not only do crane flies lack the mosquito’s prominent mouthparts, adult crane flies actually don’t feed at all.
Total Number of Mosquito Species Worldwide
There are over 3,500 mosquito species3 worldwide. About half of all species are endemic, which means that they are only found in one country or area. The other half is more widespread, with some species found across thousands of miles.
As mosquito populations are dependent upon heat and the presence of water, mosquitoes are dependent on geography. Generally speaking, the closer one gets to the equator, the more mosquito species you’ll find4. (Countries with large areas also tend to have more mosquito species.)
For example, Norway is home to 16 mosquito species. Brazil has over 450.
While we generally think of mosquitoes as drab pests, some mosquitoes are actually gorgeous. Perhaps the most famous example is the species Sabethes cyaneus, which is renowned for its iridescent coloration and its feather-like decorations. If you were bitten by a mosquito like that, at least you’d get a good show!
Number of Species in the Continental United States
The Continental U.S. is home to 166 mosquito species5, but the number of species per state and mosquito population density vary widely. Southern states, such as Texas (85) and Florida (80), often have more mosquito species, but not by all that much. Northern states, such as Minnesota and New Jersey, have quite a few as well, 51 and 63, respectively. Even comparatively warm, dry states, such as Arizona and Nevada, have robust populations that can wreak havoc. In short, there is almost no escaping them, so you need to know how to fight back.
Of course, Brazil’s many mosquito species won’t necessarily ruin your vacation in Rio. After all, species numbers don’t say much about population numbers. A case in point: Alaska and Minnesota are home to far fewer species, but they definitely boast more than their fair share of individual critters in “skeeter season.” Unsurprisingly, both Alaska and Minnesota have mosquitoes named after them.
The Mosquitoes to Worry About: The “Flying Syringes”
All mosquitoes belong to one large family of insects—Culicidae. This family consists of two large groups, which are called subfamilies: the Anophelinae (480 species) and the Culicinae (3,000 species). Some species don’t bite humans at all, but a good number are serious pests and a few troublemakers are responsible for spreading serious diseases.
In particular, three groups of mosquitoes are responsible for the vast majority of mosquito-borne diseases. These bad apples are often called the “Flying Syringes.”
Because of their medical importance, it’s helpful to be familiar with them. As it happens, these three groups also include some of the primary pest species—so even if they don’t make you sick, they might still ruin your barbecue.
Culex
Anopheles
Aedes
Anopheles mosquitoes are members of the Anophelinae subfamily. One genus of the Anophelinae mosquitoes—the genus Anopheles—is notorious for spreading malaria. In all, there are 12 species of Anopheles in North America7.
Both the Aedes genus and the Culex genus are members of the Culicinae subfamily. There are 11 species of medically important Aedes in North America8, and 9 species of medically important Culex.
The Aedes mosquitoes spread yellow fever and Dengue fever.
Culex mosquitoes spread West Nile, a number of types of encephalitis9 and several parasitic diseases.
The good news? Cases of malaria, yellow fever and Dengue fever are mercifully rare in the U.S., and those infected have usually traveled abroad. Other diseases—including West Nile—still remain a serious concern, however.
What’s in a Name?
The word Anopheles (a-NOF-o-leez) comes from the Greek word anōophelōes, which translates to “useless.10”
The word Aedes (AY-deez)