Uranotaenia Mosquito

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Common Name: Uranotaenia Mosquito

Latin Name: Uranotaenia

Common Family Name: Mosquitoes

Latin Family Name: Culicidae

Other Names:

Origin: There are three species of this mosquito in North America, ranging from California to Florida and Georgia.

Biology: These small mosquitoes may not even feed on humans, as they appear to feed exclusively on amphibians such as toads and frogs. The fertilized female over-winters in protected cavities, and larvae live in aquatic environments similar to the needs of Anopheles mosquitoes, as pools of fresh water with abundant growth of vegetation.

Identification: The adult females can be separated from other species of mosquitoes by the presence of lines or patches of metallic blue-white scales on the sides of their thorax. One species also has a line of these scales down the middle of the top of the thorax.

Characteristics Important in Control: Control is not important for this genus of mosquitoes, since it is not likely they bite humans. In general it would involve treatment of larval breeding areas with growth regulators, bacterial insecticides, or surface materials. Non-chemical control in small bodies of water can also be effective with the use of mosquito fish.