Mosquitos

Discover everything you need to know about mosquitos in our guide below.

mosquito drinks blood
Mosquito
Culicidae

What are Mosquitos?

Mosquitos are tiny, buzzing insects related to flies and are members of the Diptera family. Outdoors, mosquitos are an essential food source for animals like bats. 

When their populations grow out of control, they can take over outdoor spaces and become problematic indoor pests. Mosquitos are known for feeding on blood. In addition to the fact that their bites cause itchy, red bumps, they can also carry and transmit diseases.

There are more than 200 types of mosquitoes in the US. 

What do Mosquitos Look Like?

Adult mosquitos resemble tiny, delicate flies. They have long, spindly legs, slender wings, and bodies covered in tiny scales. 

They are usually about .015-0.4” long and can vary in color from gray to brown. Females, who feed on human and animal blood, have a long proboscis with piercing mouthparts, which they use to penetrate the skin and suck blood.

Behavior, Diet & Habits

While both male and female mosquitoes feed on plant nectar, females are the only mosquitoes that require blood meals. They rely on the protein in blood to help them sustain egg-laying and breeding. 

After taking a blood meal, female mosquitoes find a protected area where they can rest, digits the blood, and produce a batch of eggs. Females lay their eggs in moist environments with lots of standing water. 

Eggs are common along the edges of puddles, for example, or in birdbaths. Once the female deposits the eggs, they hatch into larvae and develop into adults. Male adults live for about 10 days, while females live for 42-56 days. 

When it comes to habitat, mosquitoes can live anywhere that provides ample moisture for egg-laying. They enjoy areas with tall grass, plenty of shade, and lots of shelter. 

Mosquitoes fly over grass field

How to Get Rid of Mosquitos

You’ve got to take a multi-faceted approach to get rid of mosquitoes. Start by removing areas of standing water on your property or in your home. Empty birdbaths, stop over-watering plants, empty and refresh pet bowls frequently, and drain all areas of outdoor water if possible. 

Use green and eco-friendly products to treat all areas of standing water that you can’t remove, like pools and ponds. 

Next, install or repair window screens and keep doors and windows closed to keep mosquitos out of your house, and use store-bought or homemade repellents, foggers, or insecticides to create a mosquito barrier around your home. 

For more information on how to get rid of mosquitos, check out our complete guide

Explore Resources

mosquito vector

How-to Guides

FAQs

Mosquitoes carry diseases like Chikungunya, dengue, encephalitis, malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever, and Zika.

Mosquitos are most active during the coolest times of the day. This usually means the early morning hours before the sun comes up and dusk, when it starts to go down.

Mosquito levels peak between March and early November in most areas of the country. The insects start the breeding cycle when temperatures are steadily above 50 degrees, which means they tend to be most common in the spring and early summer.

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