Mosquito

Description:

Order: Diptera ( two wings ). Family: ( Culicidae). Mosquitos are a family of small midge-like flies: the Culicidae. Although a few species are harmless, or even useful to humanity, the females of most species, are ectoparasites, whose tube-like mouthparts, ( called a proboscis ), pierce the hosts skin, to suck the blood. Thousands of species, feed on the blood of various kinds of hosts, mainly vertebrates: including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even some kinds of fish. Some Mosquitos also attack invertebrates, mainly arthopods. Some mosquitos transmit extremely harmful infections, such as: malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, and filariasis. Mosquitos are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae, meaning "midge or gnat". Females of many species of mosquitos, are blood-eating pests, and dangerous vectors of diseases. Also, in the bloodsucking species, only the females suck blood. Over 3,500 species of mosquitos, have already been described from various parts of the world. Like all flies, mosquitos go through four stages in there life cycles: egg, larva, pupa, and adult, or imago. The first three stages-egg, larva, and pupa, are largely aquatic. These stages last five to fourteen days, depending on the species, and the ambient temperature. Some species can overwinter as adults in diapause. The length of the adult mosquito varies, but is rarely greater than 16 mm ( 0.6 in. ). All mosquitos have slender bodies with three segments: head, thorax, and abdomen. The head is specialized for receiving sensory information, and for feeding. It has eyes, and a pair of long, many-segmented antennae. The two compound eyes, are distinctly separated from one another. The compound eyes of adults, develop in a separate region of the head. The head also has an elongated, forward-projecting, "stinger-like" proboscis, used for feeding, and also two sensory palps. In typical bloodsucking species, the female has an elongated proboscis. The thorax is specialized for locomotion. Three pairs of legs, and a pair of wings, are attached to the thorax. The abdomen is specialized for food digestion, and egg developement: the abdomen of the mosquito, can hold three times its own weight in blood. Mosquito Anatomy: Head- The head is crammed with sensory equipment that helps the mosquito find and feed on people and animals. Compound Eyes- Mosquitos have two large compound eyes, that are covered with tiny lenses called ommatidia, that are capable of detecting even slight movement. On the top of there heads, they also have Ocelli-simple photo sensitive eyes, that detect variations in light. Antennae: There antennae, long feathery organs, just forward from there heads, contain sensitive receptors, that detect carbon dioxide, in human breath. The maxillary palps, between the antennae, pick up the odor of ocentol and other chemicals, released in human sweat. Proboscis- Right in the middle, also between the antennae, is the proboscis: A long serrated mouth part, used to pierce the skin, and suck out blood. Thorax- The thorax, is connected to the head. A pair of wings, and a pair of halteres, ( small wing-like organs ), used for steering, sprout from the thorax. The legs also come out of the thorax, six in all, with tiny claws at the end of each, to help Mosquitos stay attached to the surface. Abdomen- The abdomen hangs from the thorax, and serves as the mosquitos stomach and lungs. Spiracles- Small openings called spiracles, line both sides of the abdomen, allowing the mosquito to draw in air. Female mosquitos use two very different food sources. They need sugar for energy, and they need blood, as a source of protein, for egg development. Most mosquitos are crepuscular ( dawn or dusk feeders ).

Habitat:

In the sense of the entire family Culcidae, mosquitos are cosmopolitan, in every land region, except for Antarctica, and a few islands, mainly in the polar or subpolar climates.

Notes:

On May 2, 2015, in the early afternoon, I saw a small insect, resting on a pane of glass, to the right of the front door. I was able to take some photos, of this small insect. This small insect, was about one eighth of an inch long. It had two, large, black, compound eyes. It had six, very long, segmented legs. It had two wings. It's abdomen, was a medium brown color. It also had a banded abdomen. Bands ran horizontally across the abdomen. It's two wings, were of a silver color. I think I saw a long proboscis, sticking out from the front of its head? I think this insect is a mosquito?