Mosquitoes
There are over 4,000 mosquito species worldwide, classified under the family Culicidae in the order Diptera. Some species are disease vectors for humans, such as:
- Aedes aegypti (Domestic Aedes mosquito)
- Aedes albopictus (Forest Aedes mosquito)
- Anopheles (Malaria mosquito)
- Mansonia (Filariasis mosquito)
- Culex tritaeniorhynchus (Japanese encephalitis vector)
Other species transmit diseases to animals, such as:
- Culex quinquefasciatus (Southern house mosquito)
Mosquitoes are not only harmful to humans and warm-blooded animals but also to cold-blooded animals.
Mosquito Diet
- Nectar feeding: Both male and female mosquitoes feed on flower nectar for energy.
- Blood feeding: Female mosquitoes require protein from human or animal blood to develop and energize their eggs.
- Feeding preferences: Different mosquito species prefer different hosts.
- Egg development:
- Anautogeny: Egg development requires a blood meal (e.g., most Aedes and Anopheles).
- Autogeny: Egg development occurs using stored nutrients without a blood meal (e.g., Aedes togoi, Culex molestus).
- Feeding times:
- Aedes species feed during the day.
- Culex species feed at night.
- Some species feed at dusk and dawn.
Flight Behavior
Each mosquito species has different flight ranges:
- Aedes aegypti: 30–300 meters
- Aedes albopictus: 400–600 meters
- Anopheles: 0.5–2 kilometers
- Culex: 200 meters to several kilometers
- Vectors of Japanese encephalitis: up to 50 kilometers
Female mosquitoes generally fly farther than males.
Mating Behavior
- Male mosquitoes emerge from pupae earlier and stay near breeding sites.
- Mating typically occurs 1–2 days after females emerge.
- Some species, like Anopheles culicifacies, require a blood meal before mating.
Mosquito Lifespan
Mosquito lifespan varies by sex, temperature, and food availability:
- Summer: Active but short-lived (~2 weeks).
- Winter: Inactive; may survive longer or enter hibernation.
- Males: Live around 1 week, but can live longer with sufficient food and humidity.
- Females: Live 1–5 months.
Medically Important Mosquito
Genera Aedes (dengue, Zika vectors) Culex (encephalitis vectors) Anopheles (malaria vectors) Mansonia (filariasis vectors) Culex quinquefasciatus (Southern House Mosquito) This species is one of the most familiar to humans, commonly swarming and biting at dusk in urban areas. Culex mosquitoes are numerous, with about 400 species worldwide and 80 species in Thailand. Many are medical vectors for diseases like Japanese encephalitis.
Key characteristics:
- Female maxillary palps are about half the length of the proboscis.
- The posterior part of the thorax has three distinct lobes.
- The abdomen is blunt and covered with flat scales.
Unlike Aedes mosquitoes, which breed in clean water, Culex mosquitoes breed in dirty, stagnant water like rice fields. Japanese encephalitis symptoms include high fever, nausea, vomiting, and neurological complications such as seizures. Some cases may result in death or brain damage.
Currently, there is a vaccine available for Japanese Encephalitis (JE). The simplest and most effective prevention is avoiding mosquito bites and eliminating breeding sites.
