Mosquitoes are the most deadly animal in the world, killing up to one million people a year as estimated by the World Health Organization.1
Female mosquitoes need to feed on blood to produce eggs.2 They feed on lots of different mammals, including humans, and use a needle-like mouth called a proboscis to pierce your skin.
When they bite, mosquitoes inject saliva into your skin. This saliva can cause an itchy rash, and can also transmit diseases that the mosquito may be carrying, like malaria, yellow fever, Zika, Chikungunya and dengue.3
Mosquitoes lay their eggs on the surface of standing water. The eggs hatch into wiggly larvae that feed on tiny plants and animals in the water. Like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, the mosquito larvae form a hard case called a pupa, which hatches into a flying mosquito.4
There are more than 3,000 different types of mosquito, but three are most deadly.5
Aedes are found in warmer climates and spread yellow fever, Zika virus, Chikungunya, and dengue
Anopheles are found in Africa and are best known for spreading malaria.
Culex are found worldwide, except in temperate areas, and spread encephalitis, West Nile virus, and filariasis.
The main type of Aedes mosquito that transmits dengue is Aedes aegypti. A type called Aedes albopictus can also transmit dengue to a lesser extent.6
The Aedes aegypti mosquito lives near people and breeds in artificial containers that hold water, like buckets, bowls, animal dishes, flower pots and car tires. It feeds mostly during daylight and bites most early in the morning and just before sunset.6
