LFS Culex pipiens mosquito

A 2009 photo of a Culex pipiens mosquito, the northern house mosquito that can carry West Nile virus, biting a human.

(University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Since the females of almost all species of mosquitoes require blood to provide food for producing their eggs, they all seem equally vile when they bite you.

And while there are approximately 2,700 different species of mosquito living around the world, three groups stand out locally: The Culex mosquitoes, which include the common house mosquito; the Aedes mosquitoes, such as the Asian tiger mosquito, and the Anapheles mosquitoes, locally represented by the common summer mosquito.

New York state is home to about 70 species of mosquitoes, but some are more common than others. Some are generalists that will prey on a wide variety of animals, while others specialize in particular species. Many are limited to specific habitats like brackish estuaries along the coast, to mountain lakes farther inland.

The Culex mosquitoes have blunt-tipped abdomens and are weak fliers that often bite their victims at dawn or after dusk. Though they prefer birds to humans, they often get into houses at night and are therefore likely to bite people as well as birds. One species in particular, Culex pipiens -- the northern house mosquito -- is a real problem.

Besides its painful bite, the northern house mosquito is the primary carrier of West Nile virus. Unfortunately, it is also the most common type of mosquito in New York City. It prefers slow-moving or still water for laying its eggs, so breeding sites can include discarded tires, untended birdbaths, clogged gutters and abandoned pools. This is why the city adds mosquito-specific larvicides to ponds and roadside sewer drains, and encourages people to empty buckets, pots or any other containers that may catch rainwater.

A single female northern house mosquito lays between 100 and 300 eggs during her life. It takes about 10 days for the newly hatched mosquitoes to develop into adults. The adults rarely travel more than five miles from their birth site.

The Aedes mosquitoes have pointed abdomens and are much more active than the Culex mosquitoes. Most mosquitoes in this group breed after flooding occurs.

Aedes mosquitoes are known to travel as far as 75 miles during their lives. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is the most infamous representative around here. The tiger mosquito is an invasive species that was first observed in America in Texas in 1985. The insects probably arrived in old tires shipped here from Asia. During their 30 years in North America, tiger mosquitoes have spread dramatically, reaching New York in the late 1990s. The tiger mosquito gets its name from the white stripes on its legs and body. It is smaller than most mosquitoes, but has a particularly annoying bite and is active from late afternoon to early evening, and again at dawn.

Another notable Aedes mosquito is the native salt-marsh mosquito, Aedes sollicitans, which is limited to coastal areas where flooding is likely, but will fly several miles to feed. These mosquitoes prefer humans and will feed on our blood during the day. This species is the primary carrier of eastern equine encephalitis and dog heartworm.

Anopheles mosquitoes prefer large permanent bodies of water for breeding. The common summer mosquito, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, is another local mosquito that often gets into houses. These mosquitoes also have pointed abdomens and a mildly annoying bite.

Forty of the 430 species of Anopheles mosquitoes carry malaria, and the common summer mosquito is one of them. Malaria was eliminated from the United States by 1951, but there are a few cases in New York every year, mostly involving people who got the disease when they traveled to tropical areas and not due to our local mosquitoes.

But since the malaria parasite needs warm temperatures to develop during the life span of the mosquito, our warming climate gives malaria a chance to get a foot in the door.

Many other mosquitoes exist and may be especially common at specific seasons or in particular habitats. There are species that specialize in breeding in water-filled tree holes and others that are the first to breed in early spring. Each of the 2,700 kinds of mosquitoes has its own particular niche in nature.