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Creature Feature
Culex Mosquitoes
Two house mosquitoes (Culex spp.) are present in the United States: the northern house mosquito and the southern house mosquito. The northern house mosquito was introduced from North Africa and is present across the northern US; the southern house mosquito was introduced from Southeast Asia and is present across the southern US. There is a hybrid zone where these mosquitoes meet and are able to produce viable offspring, indicating they are probably subspecies instead of two separate species.
House mosquitoes can vector West Nile virus (and other diseases that may cause encephalitis) from birds to humans and horses. They are more likely to vector these diseases in urban areas because of their preference for living and breeding near humans. Since house mosquitoes overwinter as adults, they are often found in structures during cold temperatures. Females may bite when indoor heating or the weather becomes warm enough. Although they will breed anywhere water is allowed to accumulate, they prefer to lay eggs in stagnant water rich in organic matter, as in sewage or drainage systems, and in pastures.
Removing standing water on properties reduces house mosquito populations. Otherwise, apply an insect growth regulator (IGR) labeled for Culex mosquitoes to natural or manmade sites that hold water, to prevent larvae from developing into adults. Apply a liquid residual insecticide to adult mosquito resting sites under shady and secluded areas such as foliage, eaves and decks. A longer-term approach is to add mosquito traps designed to kill the larvae inside, and contaminate adult females with a larvicide they leave behind in their next egg-laying sites. They are also contaminated with a fungal pathogen that will kill them in several days.
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Mosquito Biology & Larval Management
Course Type: Technical
Time: 60 Minutes
Since immature mosquito stages are confined to aquatic environments, larval management is more targeted and often more effective than adult management. After completing this course, you should be able to understand the basic mosquito life cycle, identify the types of breeding sites, recognize differences in larval behavior and surveillance methods, and choose the most appropriate larval treatment method.
Adult Mosquito Management
Course Type: Technical
Time: 60 Minutes
Adult mosquitoes are a symptom of a greater problem – larval breeding sites – although adult females are the stage that vector diseases from one person to another. After completing this course, the learner should be able to recognize common forms of adult mosquito and disease surveillance, and understand the different methods of adulticide application and the adulticides available, both public and private.
Mosquito Biology and the Diseases They Vector
Course Type: Technical
Time: 60 Minutes
The most important mosquito disease vectors in the United States belong to the genera Aedes, Culex and Anopheles. Diseases transmitted by these mosquitoes cycle differently in human populations. After completing this course, you should be able to understand the basic mosquito life cycle and types of breeding sites, and identify adults of these mosquito species and the diseases they vector.
Larval Mosquito Management
Course Type: Technical
Time: 60 Minutes
Since immature mosquito stages are confined to aquatic environments, larval management is more targeted, and often more effective, than adult management. After completing this course, you should be able understand the basic mosquito life cycle, identify the types of breeding sites, recognize differences in larval behavior and surveillance methods, and choose the most appropriate larval treatment methods.