Behavior: Aedes mosquitoes are most active during the day and are known as “day-biters”. Ae. aegypti mosquitoes prefer to bite humans, while other Aedes mosquitoes also bite other animals.

Aedes aegypti (in the top image) have several white lines down their backs, while Aedes albopictus have one thick white line down their backs. Ae. aegypti image by Sarah Rydberg. Ae. albopictus image by Susan Ellis, Bugwood.org.

Habitat: Aedes live in a variety of climates that range from tropical to temperate. They can live indoors and outdoors and prefer to live close to humans or other animals that they can feed on.

Species that transmit diseases: There are at least five different Aedes species that transmit diseases. These include Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus.

Life cycle: Aedes most often lay eggs in artificial containers, such as tires, buckets, or plant pots. The eggs can survive several months without water. After these eggs get wet, they will hatch and adult mosquitoes will emerge 7 - 12 days later.

Appearance: Aedes are black and white in color. The patterns on their bodies can be useful to identify species. For example, Ae. aegypti have several white lines down their backs, while Ae. albopictus have a thick white line down their backs. 

Aedes mosquitoes include the species known as the yellow fever mosquito (Ae. aegypti) and the Asian tiger mosquito (Ae. albopictus).

Behavior: Anopheles mosquitoes are most active in the evenings and during the night. They are easy to identify when they sit on the wall, as they rest at an angle to the wall. They look a little like a miniature dart arrow that has been thrown into the wall! Most other mosquitoes rest parallel to the surfaces they rest on.

Some Anopheles mosquitoes used to only be active at night, but are now also active in the evening time. Because so many people sleep under bed nets during the night, these mosquitoes have adapted. Now they start biting earlier in the day when people are not yet in their beds. This change in behavior greatly increases their chances of getting a blood meal. Image by CDC.

Habitat: Anopheles live in a variety of climates that range from tropical to temperate. They most often lay eggs in swamps, ponds, lakes, streams, rice fields, or other natural and still bodies of water.

Species that transmit diseases: There are over 30 Anopheles species that we know of that transmit malaria (of the total 430 Anopheles species). The main malaria vector is a subspecies of An. gambiae.

Life cycle: Anopheles females may prefer human or cattle blood; this varies with species. Some species almost only feed on humans. After a blood meal, they lay all of their eggs on the water’s surface. Within 8-16 days, adult mosquitoes will emerge from the eggs. 

Appearance: Anopheles are mostly dark brown in color and are lighter brown and blackish on various parts of their bodies. 

One species of Anopheles is known as the common malaria mosquito.

Behavior: Culex are most active during the night and fly into homes and take a blood meal while people are sleeping. Culex also often feed on birds, which can result in the transmission of the West Nile virus (WNV). 

Habitat: Culex live all around the world except in the extreme northern areas where it is very cold. They prefer to lay eggs in “dirty” still water such as storm drains, green pools, or septic tanks. They are also found breeding in artificial containers such as tires.

Culex quinquefasciatus, which is known to transmit West Nile Virus. Those mosquitoes also transmit certain viruses that cause encephalitis. Image by CDC.

Species that transmit diseases: There are about 20 different Culex species that transmit diseases. Some of the main disease vector species include Cx. pipiens, and Cx. tarsalis.

Life cycle: Culex females will feed on people and other animals. They then lay their eggs on stagnant water, with the eggs stuck together to make an “egg raft”. Within 9 - 14 days, adult mosquitoes will emerge from the developed eggs. 

Appearance: Most Culex are overall brownish, but some have an iridescent color. Some Culex are black with some white banding on certain body parts like their proboscis and legs.  

Some Culex species are known as common house mosquitoes.