Culex species mosquitoes

Culex species mosquitoes

Culex species mosquitoes

Culex pipiens, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Cx. tarsalis mosquitoes live in the Australia and some Asian countries. Culex mosquitoes can spread West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis, and eastern equine encephalitis viruses. Culex mosquitoes also spread Japanese encephalitis and Oropouche viruses.

Life stages

Eggs

• Adult female Culex mosquitoes      prefer to lay their eggs on the surface of permanent standing water like      ponds, edges of lakes, swamps, unmaintained swimming pools, and wastewater      treatment plants. They also use floodwater areas, like storm drains,      ditches, low-lying pastures, and agricultural areas (citrus groves or rice      fields). Sometimes they use small containers around the home like buckets,      unused tires, planters, toys, birdbaths, or flowerpots.

• A female Culex mosquito      lays eggs one at a time. Eggs stick together to form a raft of 100–300      eggs. The raft floats on the water.

• A Culex mosquito egg      takes 7–10 days to develop into an adult mosquito.

Larva

• Culex larvae      hatch from mosquito eggs and live in water.

• Larvae can be      seen in the water. They are very active and are often called      "wigglers."

• They feed on a      variety of things found in the water.

• Larvae shed      their skin (molt) several times during this stage.

Pupa

• Culex pupae live      in water. Pupae do not have external mouthparts and do not feed during      this stage.

• An adult      mosquito emerges from a pupa and flies away.

Adult

• Adult Culex mosquitoes are      most active from dusk to dawn.

• Adult female Culex mosquitoes      bite people and animals. Female mosquitoes need blood to produce eggs.

• After blood      feeding, female mosquitoes look for water sources to lay eggs. Several      days pass between feeding and looking for a place to lay eggs.

• Culex mosquitoes don’t      fly long distances but have been known to fly up to 2 miles (3.2 km).

• Some Culex mosquitoes prefer      to live near and bite birds. They bite people when other animals are not      nearby.

• When they are      not active, Culex mosquitoes      usually rest in grass, shrubs, and other thick vegetation where it is      cool, dark, and humid.

Controlling Culex mosquitoes

Controlling mosquitoes helps decrease the number of Culex mosquitoes that could spread viruses to people.

Community-level control

Local mosquito control professionals monitor the number of Culex mosquitoes in a community and whether they are infected with viruses that could make people sick. If the number of mosquitoes in an area becomes too high or if they are found to be infected with viruses that can make people sick, mosquito control professionals may use products to kill Culex larvae (larvicides) or adults (adulticides).

Household-level control

Throughout mosquito season

People can use mosquito dunks or other larvicides in smaller areas with permanent standing water like ponds or unmaintained swimming pools to control mosquitoes around your home. This helps kill Culex larvae before they grow into adult mosquitoes that could spread viruses.

When risk of exposure is high

Adulticides can be an important tool to quickly decrease the number of adult Culex mosquitoes. Home and landowners who have questions, concerns, or want information about using adulticides can contact a local mosquito control district or program or licensed professional about:

• Using      adulticides on your property to treat areas where adult mosquitoes rest.

• Treating larger      areas with permanent standing water on or near your property, such as      agricultural areas, low-lying pastures, and wastewater treatment plants.