Mosquito larvae, called “wrigglers,” are aquatic, with a large head and thorax and narrow, wormlike abdomen; they typically hang just below the water surface, breathing air through tubes at the end of the abdomen. When disturbed, they wriggle downward.

The pupae, called “tumblers,” are curled like a comma and also hang just under the water surface, breathing through air tubes.

Adult mosquitoes are small flies that look a lot like their cousins in the fly family, the crane flies and midges. Female mosquitoes, however, drink blood from vertebrate animals.

Adults have one pair of transparent wings; upon close inspection, you can see a fringe of hairs and scales along the edges and veins of the wings. The legs are long, and there is a long proboscis (pro-BAH-siss) that is used like a straw for drinking. The antennae are featherlike in males.