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LITTLE HOUSE MOSQUITO
GENERAL INFORMATION
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The
Little House Mosquito (Culex
pipiens pipiens and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus) is one of
53 types of mosquitoes that occur in California. The Little
House Mosquito is found in most California
counties.
Culex
pipiens pipiens is known as the Northern House Mosquito
while Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus is known as the
Southern House Mosquito.
These two subspecies, although distinct, will be treated here
as one. They are commonly called
Little House Mosquitoes because of their close relationship with
man's environment and their habit of entering into houses and
sometimes even breeding in containers indoors.
The Little House Mosquito is a light brown, medium-sized mosquito
with a blunt-tipped abdomen. There are narrow white bands on
the abdominal segments but none on the legs or proboscis (beak).
Males resemble the females except they have bushy antennae and long
palpi on their heads and claspers at the tip of their abdomen.
This is the most widely-distributed mosquito species in the world.
They are widespread throughout the United States and California.
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Adult
Daily Activity:
These
mosquitoes may live for two or three weeks in the summer, but under
cooler conditions the females may live for several months. In
areas of moderate climate, larvae may be found in every month of the
year, but in areas with cold winters this species usually passes the
winter as hibernating females in protected natural or artificial
shelters such as cellars, outbuildings, wood piles, caves, culverts,
etc. Where large populations exist, male swarming flights may
be observed around twilight. Mating may take place in
conjunction with the male swarms. |
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Adult
Flight Range:
Although small numbers of these mosquitoes tend to remain in a
localized
area, (a block or two), large populations, from breeding sites such as
waste water ponds, may lead to infestations affecting a
few square miles. |
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Adult
Feeding:
Female
house mosquitoes readily bite humans, but birds and other mammals
are considered the primary hosts. This species bites under low
light intensity or in the dark, tending to seek entry to homes and
resting in darkened areas when the light is bright. Children
and babies are most susceptible, often covered with numbers of
reddened marks for many days following the biting period. To
adult humans, their humming at night is an added irritant to the bite and
sleepless night. Males feed on nectar and plant juices.
Females may also feed on plant juices, but usually must have a blood
meal in order to develop their eggs. |
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Eggs and Larvae:
An adult female lays about 150-200 eggs in clusters called rafts,
which float on the surface of the water until they hatch in about
one to two days. The female usually prefers laying eggs in
standing, somewhat polluted water such as sewage, street drainage,
septic tanks and cesspools, industrial wastes, and such backyard
sources as unused swimming pools, fouled ornamental ponds, cooler
drain-water, and water in containers. A wide variety of other
water sources may also be infested with the aquatic stages of this
common mosquito. |
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DISEASES TRANSMITTED
The
Little House Mosquito is a domestic nuisance, but may affect industrial
and agricultural production in certain situations. In other areas of
this country they are known to be vectors of
St. Louis
Encephalitis. They can also transmit the organisms causing bird
malaria, fowl pox, and
Dog Heartworm.
They also serve as vectors of filariasis in tropical areas of the world.
This mosquito is also an excellent vector of
West Nile Virus, a
rapidly spreading disease introduced into the United States in 1999.
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LITTLE HOUSE MOSQUITO LIFE
CYCLE |
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Little House Mosquitoes have four life
stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The immature stages need
standing water to complete their life cycle.
After an adult female lays her eggs they
hatch into larvae (wrigglers) which feed on small organic
particles and micro-organisms in the water. Feeding occurs
when they hang from the water's surface by the tip of their tail
(siphon) or by browsing along the bottom of their habitat.
Because they are air breathing organisms they must return to the
water's surface to breathe.
About four to six days are required for larval development.
At the end of the larval stage, the mosquito molts and becomes
the aquatic pupa (tumbler). The pupa is active only if
disturbed, for this is the resting stage where the larval form
is transformed into the adult. This takes about two days
during which time feeding does not occur. When the
transformation is completed, the new adult splits the pupal skin
and emerges. Under optimum conditions,
development from egg to adult takes about a week. However,
all mosquito developmental times are dependent on the
temperature and nutrients of the water in which they mature. |
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CONTROL METHODS |
| Where possible, sources of standing, fouling water should be
eliminated by dumping, filling, pumping, or draining. Often
this is not feasible with sources as septic tanks, cesspools and
rainwater barrels, and these should be tightly covered or screened
to bar mosquitoes from laying eggs in them. Temporary containers
around the home, such as
buckets, flower vases, tubs, and tires should be checked weekly to
remove standing water. Underground drains
or cleanouts should also be checked. |
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RESIDENTS SHOULD |
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If you have a mosquito problem call your
local Mosquito Abatement District to identify the problem. That
is the first step in identifying what type of mosquito is being
dealt with. |
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Use insect repellents if it is necessary
when in an area where this mosquito is found. Read and follow
the directions carefully! |
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PERSONAL PROTECTION FROM MOSQUITOES |
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FIRST AID FOR MOSQUITO BITES |
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Reduce
outdoor activities during peak feeding periods. |
q
Wash
bite with soap and water. |
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q
Wear
long pants and long sleeved shirts. |
q
Apply
anti-itch medication. |
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q
Apply
insect repellent. |
q
Apply
cold cloth for swelling. |
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q
Watch
for secondary infections. |
For more information on
Little House Mosquitoes contact:
Napa County Mosquito Abatement District
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