Culicidae Mosquitoes have adversely affected human life by transmitting a number of deadly diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, filariasis, dengue fever and encephalitis. They can be found worldwide, from the tropics to the Arctic. In fact, exotic mosquitoes continue to be introduced into the United States. The female adult Culicinae mosquito generally sucks blood and uses the protein for nourishing her developing eggs.
Males mostly feed on plant sap or nectar.
Culex pipiens L. is probably the most widespread mosquito species in North America. This mosquito is also known as the Northern house mosquito because it breeds in tin cans, rain barrels, tubs, hollow stumps, discarded tires, flat roofs, roadside and sewer ditches, as well as stagnant streams and ponds. They can breed anywhere around the house where water is present. The adult mosquito is pale brown with white bands across the abdomen. The hibernating females emerge early in the spring, and lay 50 to 400 eggs in raft-like masses on the water surface, with each egg standing on end in this mass.