Life
Cycle
Cycle
This type of environment is necessary for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
What is (still/stagnant) water?
This insect has 3,500 species.
What are mosquitoes?
In 1897, Sir Ronald Ross discovered mosquitoes spread this deadly parasitic disease. This disease, spread by Anopheles mosquitoes, was targeted by the World Health Organization’s eradication campaign in the mid-20th century.
What is malaria?
An insect order that categorizes true flies, such as the mosquito, for having two wings.
What is Diptera?
This simple household barrier is still widely used to keep mosquitoes away at night.
What is a bed net (or window screen)?
This aquatic stage comes first after a mosquito egg hatches.
What is a larva?
Many people think mosquitoes can survive only in tropical areas, but they are actually found on every continent except this one.
What is Antarctica?
In 1821, St. Augustine, FL, experienced a severe outbreak of this mosquito-borne illness.
What is yellow fever?
This specialized mouthpart allows a mosquito to pierce skin and feed.
What is a proboscis?
Eliminating bird baths, tires, and flowerpots helps prevent mosquitoes by removing this.
What is standing water?
Known as “tumblers,” this stage is active in water but does not feed.
What is a pupa?
People often say mosquitoes are “pointless,” but one of their ecological roles is helping to do this in the environment.
What is pollination (feeding on nectar)?
Florida faced an outbreak of this virus in 2016, carried by Aedes aegypti.
What is Zika?
Mosquitoes detect human presence by sensing this gas we exhale.
What is carbon dioxide (CO₂)?
This small fish, Gambusia holbrooki, is often released to feed on mosquito larvae.
What is the biological control?
The type of life cycle a mosquito has, made up four distinct stages.
What is complete metamorphosis?
Some people think mosquitoes prefer certain blood types, but scientists have shown they are mainly attracted to this instead.
What are CO₂, heat, and body odor?
In the United States, West Nile virus is mainly transmitted by this genus of mosquitoes.
What is Culex?
A mosquito’s wings beat hundreds of times each second, creating this familiar high-pitched sound.
What is the buzz of a mosquito?
This modern technique reduces populations by releasing sterile male mosquitoes.
What is Sterile Insect Technique?
Most female mosquito species need to eat this meal in order to produce eggs.
What is a blood meal?
Many think all mosquito species transmit disease, but in fact, only about this percentage of the world’s species are known vectors.
What is less than 10%?
This mosquito-borne illness is sometimes called “breakbone fever” because of its severe joint pain.
What is dengue?
What is Toxorhynchites rutilus (elephant mosquito)?
Public health teams use this integrated approach, combining education, surveillance, and multiple tools.
What is Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM)?