I. Disease Vectors

Culex view larger image view larger image view larger image Behavior: Lay eggs in rafts Larvae tolerate highly organic and polluted water. Larvae have siphones and swim by bending and straightening their body. Adults hold their body parallel to the surface of the skin. Adults feed in the evening or early morning when it is dark. It is a vector for the following diseases West Nile Virus Japanese encephalitis St. Louis encephalitis Western equine encephalitis Japanese encephalitis Ross River virus Murray Valley encephalitis Rift Valley fever Filariasis

Aedes view larger image view larger image Behavior: Lay eggs singly on surfaces above the water line that will flood when it rains. A portion of the total eggs will hatch each time the area is flooded. Larvae are found in containers or tree holes containing water. Larvae swim in an s-shaped or vermiform pattern. Adults hold their body parallel to the surface of the skin. Adults will feed voraciously during the daylight hours. It is a vector for the following diseases Yellow Fever Dengue Fever LaCrosse Chikeungunya virus

Anopheles view larger image Behavior: Lay their eggs singly on the water. The eggs have small floats attached to the sides. Larvae require relatively clean water. Larvae lack siphon and swim in a similar fashion to Culex. Adults hold the major axis of the body perpendicular to the surface of the skin when blood-feeding. Adults generally feed in the evening or early morning when it is dark. It is a vector for the following diseases Malaria Filariasis

Practice Questions If you think you are ready to start collecting mosquitoes and their larvae, try testing yourself with these questions.

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This page last reviewed May 7, 2002

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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