Wyeomyia Mosquito

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Common Name: Wyeomyia Mosquito

Latin Name: Wyeomyia

Common Family Name: Mosquitoes

Latin Family Name: Culicidae

Other Names:

Origin: Four species of this mosquito are native residents of North America, distributed from Florida north along the east coast into Canada, and west to Minnesota.

Biology: While these are human blood feeders they are of minor vector importance in North America. They are some of the smallest mosquitoes on the continent, and the larvae are generally to be found within small cavities of water, often within plants. One species is found only within the predatory pitcher plants, and in the winter the larvae freeze solid within this water environment. Adults do not fly far from their larval habitat, and females deposit their eggs from the air, dropping them over the water within the vessels.

Identification: Adults are very small mosquitoes, and when feeding the females assume a characteristic pose with their hind legs extending straight above their body, with the tarsi facing forward. Legs may be white-banded or not, and the top of the thorax is a solid covering of dark gray scales.

Characteristics Important in Control: Efforts should be made to prevent small containers from providing the aquatic environment needed, although water within plant cavities may be hard to control. Larvaciding within individual cavities is effective for control of larvae.