Mosquitos
Breeding Areas:
Mosquitos will breed in practically any collection of water that stands longer than five to seven days. Different kinds of mosquitoes vary in their choice of breeding places. Some like sunlit places whereas others prefer the shade. Some prefer fresh water to stagnant water. Others prefer the brackish water of salt marshes.
Common breeding sites are ponds, pools, slow-moving streams, inland swamps and bogs, salt marshes, ditches, tree holes, rock holes, and manmade containers of water. Manmade containers include wells, cisterns, rain barrels, roof gutters, road gutters, cans, buckets, drains, cesspools, septic tanks, pit latrines, excavation sites, road holes, bomb craters, and old tires that have been discarded.
The Aedes Mosquito:
As one of the most dangerous types of mosquito, the Aedes is anthropophagic, that is, it feeds on the blood of humans. Only the female mosquito bites. It transmits among humans menacing diseases such as yellow fever and dengue fever, and can also cause lymphatic filariasis, an illness that can trigger elephantiasis in certain cases. Most species of Aedes can be found in the tropical and subtropical zones of the world. Recently, the genus has been discovered in more temperate regions, and its presence can now be anticipated on every continent except Antarctica.
The female Aedes mosquito lays its eggs on the surface of water; adulthood is reached within approximately six to seven days. The mature Aedes mosquito breeds, feeds, and dies within a week or two, which is the life cycle of most mosquitoes.
The Anopheles Mosquito:
The Anopheles is different from other types of mosquitoes as it is the genus most accountable for spreading malaria to humans. Malaria can be fatal; its typical symptoms include fever, headaches, chills, and general flu symptoms. The species of Anopheles known as Gambiae is infamous for transmitting plasmodium falciparum, the most threatening form of malaria in the world.
The Anopheles mosquito is generally located near bodies of water, such as ponds, swamps, marches, ditches, and rain pools. The Anopheles female favors laying its eggs in fairly still water that is oxygenated, and where there is an abundance of wild plant life. Some species enjoy the shady areas, while others prefer sunlight.