How do you identify a Culex mosquito?

Culex Mosquito Identification

1. Color. Varies; mostly gray with white, silver, green or iridescent blue scales.
2. Legs.
3. Shape. Narrow, oval.
4. Size. 1/4 – 3/8 inch long.
5. Antennae. Yes.
6. Region. Found throughout U.S.

What is the difference between Culex and Anopheles mosquito?

Anopheles rests with its body and proboscis making an angle to the surface while Culex rests with its body parallel to the surface but proboscis making an angle to the surface….Difference between Anopheles and Culex.

What is larva of Culex mosquito?

Larvae: The larvae of Culex pilosus have a broad head and long antennae with a large tuft at the ends. On the ventral side of the larval head, an oval gill is inserted at the base of the antennae (Carpenter and LaCasse 1955). They have an upcurved siphon and a curved preapical spine at the end of the siphon.

Is Culex and Anopheles same?

The key difference between Aedes Anopheles and Culex mosquito is that Aedes is the insect vector that spreads dengue fever, whereas Anopheles is the insect vector that spreads malaria fever, and Culex is the insect vector that spreads Japanese encephalitis.

Which disease is transmitted by Culex?

Culex, a large group of mosquitoes also known as common house mosquitoes, are the principal vectors that spread the viruses that cause West Nile fever, St. Louis encephalitis, and Japanese encephalitis, as well as viral diseases of birds and horses.

Is Culex mosquito male or female?

Culex annulirostris The male is on the left and is distinguished by large, hairy antennae and long palps. No males take blood, rather they feed on nectar from plants. Females bloodfeed to obtain a protein source for their eggs. (For a description of mosquito characters click here).

Which disease is caused by Culex?

What is mosquitoes life cycle?

The Aedes mosquitoes have 4 life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Mosquitoes can live and reproduce inside and outside the home. The entire life cycle, from an egg to an adult, takes approximately 8-10 days. Eggs hatch when submerged in water Larvae are aquatic and develop into pupae in as little as 5 days.

What is pupa of mosquito called?

The eggs hatch in water and a mosquito larva or “wriggler” emerges. The larva lives in the water, feeds and develops into the third stage of the life cycle called, a pupa or “tumbler.” The pupa also lives in the water but no longer feeds.

Which disease is caused due to female Culex?

The most important disease spreading the bite of the female Culex mosquito is Japanese encephalitis. The Culex mosquitoes cause the infectious microbes which is the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), through its bite.

Why mosquito is the most harmful insect?

What makes it so dangerous is its capacity to transmit viruses or other parasites that cause devastating diseases. Every year, malaria alone, transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito, kills 400,000 people (mainly children) and incapacitates another 200 million for days.

What disease does female Aedes mosquito spread?

Aedes mosquitoes transmit chikungunya virus to people.

How big does a Culex pipiens mosquito get?

The other closely-related species, Cx. globocoxitus, is coupled at higher taxonomic level (i.e. subgroup Pipiens). Culex pipiens is a medium-size mosquito (4-10 mm), brownish-coloured overall, without any obvious specific pattern.

What does the proboscis of a Culex look like?

The proboscis is a straight, long tube formed by a fleshy ventral labium which has a deep groove on its upper side, in this groove is a long pointed and ventrally-grooved labrum epipharynx. At the distal end of the labium is a pair of small tactile labella which are reduced labial palps.

What kind of stylets does a Culex have?

The groove of the labium also contains five needle-like stylets in a female Culex, they are two mandibles, two maxillae, and a hypo pharynx. The mandibles are finer than the maxillae, but both have saw-like edges on their tips.

Where does the Culex mosquito lay its eggs?

The ejaculatory duct opens into the aedeagus. During copulation the male holds the female by its claspers and the aedeagus is inserted into the vagina. After mating the female lays eggs on still water, the eggs may be laid on ponds, or pools, or rain-filled containers. The eggs are cigar-shaped, tapering at one end.