Basic information about tropical mosquitoes. Insect class, Diptera order What is the difference between mosquitoes and mosquitoes

15.06.2019

Very often you can hear the familiar phrases "mosquito net", "mosquito drugs", which are used in. But this does not mean that mosquito and mosquito are the names of the same insect. They differ markedly in many respects.

Differences in appearance

Mosquito and mosquito are different appearance. This fact can be confirmed by looking at insects even with the naked eye.

The mosquito has a body size of no more than 3 mm in length, when on average it reaches 5-10 mm in length.
Most mosquitoes have an inconspicuous gray body color. Mosquitoes can be of different shades from white to black, including yellow and red.
Another important difference between a mosquito and a mosquito is the position of its wings relative to the body. In a small bloodsucker at rest, the wings are located at right angles to the body. And in a mosquito, they are almost parallel to the body.

It has similar proportions: long thin legs, a small oblong body, a long proboscis for food extraction, long antennae, small wings.

On a note!
During the flight, mosquitoes move more clumsily, but do not emit. Therefore, it will not be possible to notice it in the dark.

Habitat for mosquitoes and mosquitoes

In almost all corners of the planet, with the exception of the extreme regions of the southern and north pole. They prefer damp places, stagnant bodies of water and relatively warm climates. But in severe winters, some representatives of mosquito species can hibernate and wait out an unfavorable time.

Mosquitoes live in warm countries with a tropical climate. They are found in Asia, Africa, Latin America, in the southern part of Europe. In Russia, you can become a victim of a mosquito, being in the subtropical regions of the Caucasus, Abkhazia, Krasnodar Territory. Mosquitoes also need proximity to a source of fresh water.

The nuances of reproduction

The difference between a mosquito and a mosquito can also be traced in the characteristics of reproduction. Most mosquito species breed directly in the water. They lay eggs there, which later turn into. The larvae feed on microorganisms and small algae of the reservoir, then turn into a pupa. From the pupal stage, the mosquito turns into a mature individual and takes off from the surface of the water.

Interesting!
Some types of mosquitoes lay their eggs in the soil. The maturation of all stages takes place in the ground. The larvae there feed on plant particles or root crops.

Mosquitoes raise their offspring in well-moistened soils rich in organic compounds. Scientists studying these representatives of Diptera noted that females prefer to lay their eggs near manure heaps and garbage dumps. Voracious larvae consume the organic waste that surrounds them.

Insect bites

Both types of bloodsuckers are dangerous to humans and other living beings. It varies by gender. The females of these insects for the formation of eggs in their body. Males are harmless creatures that feed on plant nectar.

The female mosquito, before biting her prey, makes several jumps on the skin, then plunges her proboscis under the skin. During the bite, she injects a blood-thinning substance, just like the female mosquito.

Mosquitoes are carriers of dangerous diseases:

leishmaniasis;
mosquito fever;
bartonellosis and others.

They do the most harm to livestock. Huge clouds of mosquitoes can cover a whole herd of cattle overnight and bring the animals to death. For humans, they are as dangerous as mosquitoes. Both types of insects are similar in some ways, but also have certain differences.

In particular, Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia in the Old World and Lutzomyia in the New World, which are included in total over 700 species. Representatives of these genera are carriers of diseases between humans and animals, in particular - leishmaniasis, bartonellosis, pappataci fever (mosquito fever). Mosquito bites cause phlebotoderma.

mosquitoes

Female Phlebotomus papatasi drunk to his fill.

scientific classification

International scientific name

Phlebotominae Rondani, 1840

Daughter taxa

Geochronology

Systematics
on Wikispecies

Images
at Wikimedia Commons

ITIS
NCBI
EOL

Story

Mosquitoes are relatively ancient insects, the probable time of their occurrence is attributed to the lower Cretaceous period. The first description of a male of unknown genus was published in Rome by Filippo Bonanni in 1691. type view, Phlebotomus papatasi, was described by Scopoli in 1786, but the connection between mosquitoes and human diseases was known before: back in 1764, the Spanish doctor Cosme Bueno published a book on popular ideas about the transmission of leishmaniasis and bartonellosis in the Peruvian Andes, where he indicated that the local population associates the occurrence of these diseases with the bites of small insects called "uta".

Morphology

Size - 1.5-2 mm, rarely exceeds 2.5 mm, color varies from almost white to almost black. The legs and proboscis are quite long. Mosquitoes have three distinguishing characteristics: at rest, the wings are raised at an angle above the abdomen, the body is covered with hairs, before biting, the female usually makes several jumps on the host before biting into it. They usually move in short jumps, fly poorly, the flight speed usually does not exceed 4 m / s.

developmental biology

Like all other dipteran insects, mosquitoes have 4 developmental phases: egg, larva, pupa, adult. Mosquitoes usually feed on natural sugars - plant sap, aphid honeydew, but females require blood to mature their eggs. The number of blood draws may vary depending on the species. Egg maturation time depends on species, blood digestion rate and temperature environment; in laboratory conditions - usually 4-8 days. Eggs are laid in places favorable for the development of preimaginal stages. The preimaginal stages include an egg, three (or four) larval stages, and a pupa. Research carried out on Ph. papatasi and Lu. longipalpis showed that females are attracted to hexanol and 2-methyl-2-butanol, which are released from chicken and rabbit droppings, and the presence of laying eggs of the same genus stimulates the laying of eggs. Mosquito breeding sites have not been studied enough, but it is known that their larvae, unlike most butterflies, are not aquatic, and from observations of laboratory colonies it can be concluded that the main requirements for the breeding site are humidity, coolness and the presence organic matter. In the arid zones of the Old World, mosquitoes live and breed in rodent burrows or in cracks in the soil.

Most mosquitoes are active at dusk and at night. Unlike mosquitoes, they fly silently. The Italian name for the mosquito, which gave its name to the type species, "pappa tachi" means "bites silently".

area

Mosquitoes live mainly in warm regions, but the northern limit of their range lies just north of 50 ° north latitude in

In the Russian-speaking space, there are two opinions about mosquitoes. First: mosquitoes are the same, only in English. Second: mosquitoes are not mosquitoes, but live only in southern countries. Both of these opinions are wrong.

Habitat of mosquitoes

The vast majority of mosquito species do live in the tropical and subtropical zones of the planet. But this circumstance does not save the inhabitants of Eurasia from these bloodsuckers. Two genera: Sergentomyia and Phlebotomus live in the Palearctic zone, which occupies the territory of the entire Eurasian continent. Eurasian mosquitoes live both in the tundra and in the arid regions of the continent. Species living in desert and semi-desert conditions have adapted to reproduce in animal burrows and caves. Some species can breed in fruits. One species lays its eggs in figs.

Why not mosquitoes

To figure out who mosquitoes are and why they are not mosquitoes, you have to delve a little into the scientific classification. Mosquitoes and mosquitoes belong to the same order: Diptera. Then their paths diverge. start with pedigree. Mosquitoes belong to the mosquito family, mosquitoes belong to the butterfly family.

On a note!
All blood-sucking flying insects, even the largest ones, are included in the “gnathus complex”.

Butterflies are small blood-sucking insects that look like small night butterflies. Because of this, the family got its name. Below is a photo of a butterfly.

Mosquito, not belonging to the family of mosquitoes, looks more like a mosquito than a butterfly. A photo of a mosquito and an ordinary mosquito will help to compare them.

The difference between a mosquito and a mosquito is clearly displayed in the table.

On a note!
An adult female mosquito before biting makes several jumps over the body of the victim.

Some of the species of the Eurasian genus Phlebotomus are synanthropic, that is, they have adapted to live next to humans. In the city, places where mosquitoes of these species live can be damp basements. In nature, most often bloodsuckers of this species are found in the dense shade of bushes or undergrowth. Although the larvae do not live directly in the water, they need the soil soaked in moisture. In the absence of direct contact with water, they die within a day.

reproduction

9 days after the bloodsucking session, the female lays 30-60 eggs. The entire life cycle, from egg to adult mosquito takes about 7 weeks. The larva, which emerged from the egg a week later, molts 4 times. In total, the process of growth to the pupal stage takes an average of 1 month. After the 4th stage, the larva pupates and after 11 days an adult insect appears from the egg.

On a note!
The larvae feed on decaying organic debris.

But if we take into account not just the active phase of the life of bloodsuckers, but their adaptability to adverse climatic conditions, then the question of how long mosquitoes live becomes no longer so unambiguous. If the terms of development were strictly observed, mosquitoes would become extinct within one year. They have been living since the Cretaceous period and are not going to disappear.

The secret here is diapause, which is characteristic of many Palearctic species. Adults freeze in winter, regardless of when they reached the adult stage - 2 months or 2 days before frost. The larvae of the fourth stage of development, capable of falling into anabiosis, “leave” for wintering.

Interesting!
Diapause is a state in which all processes in the body proceed very slowly.

The appearance of adult insects in summer in large numbers at once is also explained by diapause. The larvae that emerged from the anabiotic state in late May - early June pupate almost simultaneously. The exit from the imago pupae also occurs at the same time.

Harm and benefit of mosquitoes

Traditional opinion: there is no benefit from bloodsuckers, only harm. In fact, these small flyers, together with other similar insects, form the basis of the food pyramid in any ecosystem: forest, desert, city, and so on. Many species of birds, amphibians, reptiles and animals feed on adults. Larvae, processing organic matter rotting in the ground, contribute to the inexhaustibility of soils.

But the harm to a person from them can be tangible. Mosquito bites are painful. When bitten, the bloodsucker sprays saliva into the wound with substances that prevent blood clotting.

On a note!
If the victim has an allergy, the bite site swells at best. At worst, death is possible. Even for those who do not suffer from allergies, mosquito bites turn red, swell and itch for a long time. When combing, there is a high chance of introducing an infection into the wound.

In hot regions, as a result of the sensitivity of the human body to mosquito bites, phlebotoderma may develop. This reaction to bites is expressed in a rash all over the body of itchy nodules.

Pappatachi fever is one of the most dangerous diseases. Distributed in the Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Middle East, Indochina and East Africa. It is carried by mosquitoes, which are called fever. Phlebotomus pappatachi mosquitoes look like:

size 2-3 mm;
the color is pale yellow;
wings and body covered with light long bristles.

The bites of this type of bloodsucker are painless, a person does not notice that he has been attacked by a mosquito mosquito. For this reason, you can not attach importance to the symptoms of the onset of the disease.

Mosquito Control Methods

The methods of struggle in this case are the same as with mosquitoes and flies:

mechanical:
chemical.

TO mechanical methods include installing nets on windows. Apart from fly swatters, which are ineffective. It should be borne in mind that the cells of the mosquito net should be smaller than those. To get rid of dampness in the basement, it is enough to monitor the health of the plumbing and sewer pipes. The surrounding area should not be allowed to accumulate heaps of organic debris. This is a great breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Chemical methods include the treatment of the territory and premises with any kind of insecticides. This also includes substances specially designed for use in the bedroom at night, evaporating substances that repel bloodsuckers.

To be set on fire, designed for outdoor use.

When going out into nature, ointments are more often used. It has been noticed that the smell of citrus fruits repels mosquitoes well.

In urban areas, mosquitoes are often found in houses with damp basements. To get rid of these insects, you will have to contact the housing company with a requirement to fix leaking pipes and carry out pest control. You can get rid of mosquitoes if cleanliness and order are observed on the territory. Their maximum flight limit is 1.5 km, they usually cover distances of no more than 25 m.

Many studies call mosquitoes the most dangerous insects in the world. Mosquitoes are estimated to infect hundreds of millions of people a year with malaria. They also carry a host of other diseases, including West Nile fever, yellow fever, and others. These reasons are enough to avoid mosquito bites (even if you do not take into account the itching after their bites). To defeat these little killers, you need to know where they live, what scares them, how to kill them.

Steps

Part 1

Protect yourself from mosquito bites

Carry mosquito repellant with you. A variety of specially formulated repellents are available in stores. Apply them on exposed areas of the skin when you leave the house. When using sunscreen, apply it before insect repellant. Below are some of the most common chemicals to repel mosquitoes:

Use natural remedies. Experiment with natural, natural remedies, such as essential oil citronella (Cymbopogon nardus). Tea tree oil with vitamin B is also said to repel mosquitoes. As with any substance, their effectiveness depends on your skin type, as well as the type of mosquitoes you are fighting. Note, however, that “alternative” remedies are not subjected to the same testing as commercial drugs, so study carefully. alternative means and read reviews of their use before spending money on them.

Wear loose long-sleeve shirts and long pants when you go out. One of better ways avoid mosquito bites - just get dressed. Wear shirts and pants that are long enough to cover your legs and arms as much as possible. Also, your clothes should be as loose as possible. This serves two purposes: 1) it's more comfortable in hot, humid climates where mosquitoes thrive 2) mosquitoes can bite through tissue adjacent to the skin, especially thin tissue.

If your finances allow, buy specially designed pants and shirts made from a thick, lightweight material. This garment will provide maximum protection against mosquito bites while being relatively high level comfort.
For greater protection, clothing can be treated with a repellant containing permethrin (do not spray permethrin on the skin).

Don't waste your money on electric fly swatters. These devices effectively kill beetles, and even then only, as a rule, harmless ones. And the noise from these devices is unpleasant... More effective are devices that use heat and carbon dioxide to attract mosquitoes, and then trap the insects in containers or kill them with chemicals.

Use a mosquito net over your bed while you sleep. The mosquito net has holes that allow air to circulate freely, but keep mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects out. Hang the net over your bed, fasten its top in one or more places so that it does not touch you. During sleep, do not touch the mesh with open parts of the body, mosquitoes can bite through the mesh. Check the mesh for holes, repair them with tape as needed.

Part 2
Avoid mosquito habitats.
1. Unfortunately, mosquitoes live on every continent—well, except for Antarctica. They mostly live in warm places with high humidity located closer to the equator. If you want to 100% avoid mosquito bites, do not visit countries with a tropical climate.
  
  Stay away from pools of stagnant water. Mosquitoes are attracted to water. Lakes, streams with stagnant water, wetlands, swamps - these are the habitats of mosquitoes, especially during the warm months of the year. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water, some have even adapted to lay eggs in salt water. Stay away from stagnant water, whether it's a puddle or a vast swamp, and you'll reduce your risk of encountering mosquitoes.
  
  Don't let water stand near your home or campsite. It is very easy to unintentionally create habitats and breeding grounds for mosquitoes. For example, a paddling pool left in the summer sun for a few days can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Get rid of any standing water near your home or campsite. If you have a pool, close it when not in use and treat the water with chemicals like chlorine (according to the manufacturer's instructions). Here are a few places where water can accumulate:
  - Old tires or production containers
  - Construction trenches, ditches
  - Pools
  - Lowlands
  - clogged storm sewer
2. Avoid visiting countries during “mosquito season”. In the tropics, the differences between seasons are minimal, so mosquitoes thrive. all year round in warm climates. V temperate climate mosquitoes are active only in the warm season. During cold periods, mosquitoes hibernate and new individuals do not emerge from the larvae. For example, part of the American Midwest has cold, snowy winters during which mosquitoes are completely absent, but there are also warm, humid summers when mosquitoes are abundant. “Mosquito season” varies depending on the location on the world map and the timing of warm and humid weather.
  - Floods are another seasonal factor that affects mosquito populations. Some places in the world, such as the valley of the Egyptian Nile River, periodically flood. During floods, mosquitoes breed in stagnant water in huge numbers.
3. Don't overheat. This tip is especially important if you are in a hot, humid climate. Mosquitoes are attracted to hot bodies, so don't sweat and you won't get bitten. Do not wear dark clothes, it absorbs the sun's rays, light on the contrary partially reflects. If possible, avoid excessive physical activity. When you exercise, you not only radiate heat, but also breathe heavily. The carbon dioxide contained in the air you exhale can be felt by mosquitoes at quite a distance.
Part 3
Destroy every mosquito in the room

Mosquitoes are attracted to body heat, the smell of sweat, and an increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the exhaled air.

The speed of pursuit of the victim by a mosquito is 4..7 km / h.

mosquitoes over a thousand species are known. The habitat area extends north to the 50th parallel of northern latitude. The most noticeable difference from mosquitoes is the brown-gray or yellow coloration. They carry a wide range of different diseases, including leishmaniasis. In nature, they live in animal burrows, tree hollows, caves. They fly for prey at a distance of up to 1.5 km. In settlements, they live in the burrows of house rodents, under floors, in basements. For reproduction, mosquitoes need shallow water bodies with stagnant water. warm water, For example, a puddle or a tin can. Female mosquitoes drink blood. Most species attack humans at night and are especially active immediately after sunset and shortly before sunrise. If the weather is cloudy, mosquitoes attack during the day. They are rarely limited to one "meal". To prevent insects from biting while you sleep, tie a towel over your face and breathe through the fabric. From a rigid plastic window screen, sew a bag over your head and wear it at night. The bag should not touch your face anywhere, otherwise mosquitoes will certainly find this place during a long night.

Thick fabric such as soldier's cloth is not bitten by insects. A thin shirt will protect only in those places where it does not touch the body.

Radical protection against mosquitoes and mosquitoes includes the following:

Destruction of puddles, swampy places, reservoirs of stagnant water.
Spraying insecticides in rooms where insects hibernate: basements, attics.
"Oiling" of reservoirs: the spill of kerosene or other low-volatile oil products that form a film in the water that prevents the mosquito larvae from breathing.

To reduce itching at the bite sites, lubricate them with cologne or solution ammonia. Use repellents. Repellent can be used to soak clothing and netting over the bed. It works from 3 to 8 hours - depending on the repellent, insects, weather. Repellents can damage plastics and synthetic fabrics.

Midges.

Midges are carriers of diseases (onchocerciasis) only in Africa, South and Central America. Midge larvae develop in fast-flowing rivers, and the places of distribution of these insects are accordingly located.

Flies.

Flies carry infections, eggs and larvae of worms. Some tropical flies feed on human blood.

Place nets on windows and doors to keep out flies. Arrange poisonous and sticky baits.

Have a fly swatter handy - a stick with an elastic petal at the end. A children's gun that shoots an arrow with a rubber Velcro on the end is an effective and pleasant tool for killing flies.

Bury or burn rubbish. Have a pit ready and a pile of earth with it. Bury faeces, or cover tightly, or fill with a solution of chloramine. Do not pour slop on the ground: dig a narrow hole and cover it with a lid.

If life forces you to settle in countryside, agitate neighbors to fight flies: flies are common in the village.

Housefly :

Life expectancy is about 1 month. Lays eggs in rotting matter of plant and animal origin.

Carries intestinal infections (cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, etc.), pathogens of tuberculosis, eggs of worms.

Wolfart fly :

A large fly of light gray color. It is found in the Caucasus, Central Asia and more northern regions. Viviparous. It flies to the smell of decaying tissues (to the wound), on the fly it injects its larvae into the human body. The larvae immediately take root in the body of the "owner" and feed on it. They leave the host just before pupation.

The fly can introduce its larvae into the human eye. Children are especially affected by this. There have been known cases of death.

Gadfly.

Gadflies bite through a thin shirt, or, in any case, they believe that they will succeed. If you have two layers of clothing on, then insects attack only open parts of the body. Wear gloves in summer. Do not think that you will be special: pay attention to how jungle rangers in American action films dress up for the jungle. Naked torsos are a cinematic effect, but gloves are the truth of life.

Ticks.

The life expectancy of some species of ticks is up to 25 years. Lack of food, some insects can withstand up to 10 years.

taiga tick : Carries viral spring-summer encephalitis. The size of the blood-sucking female is up to 4 mm. The coloration is brown.

dog tick : Tolerates tularemia, encephalitis. It is similar in size and color to the taiga tick. Waiting for prey, sitting on the lower branches of trees, bushes.

Settlement tick : Carries relapsing tick-borne typhus. It lives in rodent burrows, in buildings for animals, in human dwellings. Able to starve up to 10 years, while maintaining the ability to transmit the disease.

Described ticks attack open areas body or crawl under clothing. When heading into the woods, wear boots or tuck your pants into woolen socks. Wear a shirt that closes with a zipper, not buttons. The shirt must be tucked into the pants. Check clothing periodically. If you find a tick on the body, do not crush or drop it, as it will leave its proboscis in your body, and there will be a tumor. Drop iodine on the tick or lightly burn it with a match so that it removes the proboscis on its own.

Encephalitis is vaccinated.

scabies mite : Dimensions 0.3 by 0.3 mm. Life expectancy 4..5 weeks. Females gnaw passages in human skin. The moves are visible as whitish lines. Males live on the surface of the skin and penetrate the passages gnawed by females for fertilization. The tick can affect any area of the skin, but most often - on the back of the hands, between the fingers, in the armpits, in the perineum. Causes itching, worse at night.