Mosquitoes are winged creatures belonging to the order Diptera, the same as flies, gnats, and midges. Adults are 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch long. Their bodies consist of a head, thorax, and abdomen, and they have a pair of wings and six legs. They also have scales on their wings, legs, and other body parts. Mosquitoes have one pair of visible wings; however, underneath, there is a second pair of modified wings known as halters. These knobbed structures function as balancers during flight.
Both male and female mosquitoes feed on nectar and other sugary secretions from plants for energy but only the female mosquitoes bite.