Coquillettidia Mosquito

Facts about Coquillettidia Mosquitos, "Scientific name of Coquillettidia Mosquito is Coquillettidia perturbans". This is a species of mosquitoes that is commonly found in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, South America and North America. Coquillettidia Mosquitor are the carriers of the famous West Nile virus. Because of its growing extensity in terms of feeding and transmission of disease, this mosquito species is expanding rapidly in geographical range. In the United States, the Coquillettidia Mosquito is found on the southern part of the sub-continent.

The Coquillettidia perturbans is a vector that carries the Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) and West Nile virus among other viruses. The Coquillettidia Mosquito species was discovered through research done in Canada, United States and the Caribbean as responsible for transmitting EEE to horses, birds, emus and humans. It is also said to be responsible for transmitting the John Cunningham virus to deer. The Coquillettidia prefer swampy and hardwood forest habitats.

The Anatomy of Coquillettidia Mosquito

Coquillettidia Mosquito are usually small mosquitoes that have a slender body and long legs that range about (2 mm) in length. The body is made up of the head, thorax and abdomen just like any other insect. On the legs, the Coquillettidia Mosquito has dark and light scales that change in alternating patterns. On the thorax part, the Coquillettidia Mosquito is covered by scale bristles while on the wing structure, the scales are shaped like tear drops and are located on the outer edges and the veins of the wings. The abdomen is cylindrical and the thorax wedge shaped which complement well with the slim and elongated wings.

There is sexual dimorphism with the male Coquillettidia Mosquito having plumose antennae while the females have pilose antennae together with a slender and lengthened proboscis that enables sucking and piercing so as to obtain blood meals. The pupa and the larvae of the Coquillettidia mosquito are usually small and have a siphon that has been modified for respiration under water surfaces.

Habitat of Coquillettidia Mosquito

Coquillettidia perturbans are usually found in areas that have high concentration of vegetation, low elevation, warm summers and a high humidity. The quality of the water also determines whether the Coquillettidia Mosquito types will live there or not. They prefer aquatic habitats that have a low to neutral pH and low salt concentration. The suspended particles should also be low in density so as to allow the Coquillettidia Mosquito larvae to feed without obstructions.

Life Cycle
Coquillettidia Mosquito normally lays its eggs in a swampy or marsh habitat in the form of an egg raft. Each raft contains approximately 100 eggs that hatch after a few days depending on the prevailing temperature and other environmental conditions. The pupa and the Coquillettidia Mosquito larvae are well adapted with apparatus that enables them to pierce the gaseous tissue of aquatic plants.

The piercing enables the Coquillettidia Mosquito larvae and the pupa to access the root system of the plants so as to enable them to source for atmospheric oxygen. The Mosquito spends their first 10 days in water, which is mandatory for the eggs to hatch into larvae, named wigglers. The stagnant water is where the wigglers feed on organic matter and breath oxygen from the surface. Than they develop into pupae, which do not need to feed and are partly encased in cocoons. In a few days, the pupae will change into a full grown mosquito. In cold climates, the larvae and the pupa stages usually delay making the entire life cycle of Coquillettidia mosquito to be lengthened.

Only a female Coquillettidia Mosquito will bite a human. Both female and male Coquillettidia Mosquito feed mainly on plant nectar and fruit, the female needs the protein in blood to help the female to develop their eggs. There is a couple of resting days before the female mosquito will lay the eggs. Most of the Mosquitoes are crepuscular- meaning appearing or active in twilight or dawn.
There are on average about 175 species of mosquitoes in the United States and more than 2,800 species of mosquitoes in the rest of the world.

A Coquillettidia Mosquito doesn't have teeth. The female Coquillettidia Mosquito bites with a long, pointed mouth-part called a "proboscis". The Coquillettidia Mosquito have pointed mandibles - meaning either half of a crushing organ in an arthropod's mouth-parts, as well as maxilla that are used when the Coquillettidia Mosquito locates a capillary, then draw blood through one of two tubes. The female Coquillettidia Mosquito zeros in on its victim using a combination of chemicals in the person's sweat, exhaled carbon dioxide and animal or human scent. The Coquillettidia Mosquito use the serrated proboscis to pierce the skin and locate a capillary, then draw blood through one of two tubes.

Coquillettidia Mosquito can drink blood up to three times its weight. It would take over a million bites to drain all the blood out of your body.

An average Coquillettidia Mosquito life is less than two months. The Male Mosquito usually only lives about 10 days or less, while female Mosquito can live about six to eight weeks.
"Scientific name for Masquito is Culicidae". The word Mosquito is Spanish for "little fly". The word Mosquito its known origin is from the early 16th century. Mosquitoes in Africa are named "Mozzies".