1 It was most likely brought to the new world on ships used for European exploration and colonization.
2 Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of yellow fever.
3 Aedes aegypti has been implicated as the vector of dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
4 They are container-inhabiting mosquitoes.
5 Breeding in flowerpots, spare tires, untreated swimming pools, and drainage ditches.
6 They thrive in urbanized areas, in close contact with people making them an exceptionally successful vector.
7 Aedes aegypti are extremely common in areas lacking piped water systems.
8 They Depend greatly on stored water for breeding sites.
9 Male and female adults feed on the nectar of plants.
10 Females’ blood feeds primarily on humans in order to produce eggs.
11 They are active in the daytime feeders.
12 Eggs have the ability to survive desiccation for long periods of time.
13 Desiccation allows eggs to be easily spread to new locations.
14 In the United States, they are found in 23 states.
15 Females are larger than males.
16 Can be distinguished by small palps tipped with silver or white scales.
17 Males have plumose antennae. whereas females have sparse short hairs.
18 The male mouthparts are modified for nectar feeding.
19 The female mouthparts are modified for blood-feeding.
20 The proboscis of both sexes is dark
21 Is a holometabolous insect, meaning that it goes through a complete metamorphosis.
22 A complete metamorphosis. is egg, larva, pupa, and adult stage.
23 The adult life span can range from 2 weeks to 1 month depending on environmental conditions.
24 Comes in three polytypic forms: domestic, sylvan, and peridomestic.
25 The domestic form breeds in urban habitat, often around or inside houses.
26 The sylvan form is a more rural form, and breeds in tree holes, generally in forests.
27 The peridomestic form thrives in environmentally modified areas such as coconut groves and farms.
28 After taking a complete blood meal, females produce on average 100 to 200 eggs per batch.
29 the number of eggs produced is dependent on the size of the bloodmeal.
30 Females can produce up to five batches of eggs during a lifetime.
31 Eggs are laid on damp surfaces in areas likely to temporarily flood.
32 Eggs are laid singly, rather than in a mass.
33 Not all the eggs are laid at once but can be spread out over hours or days.
34 Eggs will be placed at varying distances above the water line.
35 A female will not lay the entire clutch at a single site.
36 A female will spread out the eggs over two or more sites.
37 Eggs when first laid, eggs appear white but within minutes turn a shiny black.
38 In warm climates, such as the tropics, eggs may develop in as little as two days.
39 In cooler temperate climates, egg development can take up to a week.
40 Eggs can survive desiccation for months and hatch once submerged in water.
41 larvae are called “wigglers,” and they appear to wiggle sporadically in the water.
42 Larvae feed on organic matter in the water, such as algae.
43 Larvae are often found around the home in puddles, tires, or within any object holding water.
44 The larvae pass through four instars.
45 Males develop faster than females.
46 In cool temperatures, they can remain in the larval stage for months so long as the water supply is sufficient.
47 After the fourth instar, they enter the pupal stage.
48 Pupae also called “tumblers,” do not feed and take approximately two days to develop.
49 Adults emerge by ingesting air to expand the abdomen thus splitting open the pupal case and emerging head first.
50 Mosquitoes can breed in tin cans in open dumps or around the yard.
51 Can breed anywhere stationary water collects.
52 Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) Is known as The yellow fever mosquito.
53 Has been a nuisance species in the United States for centuries.
54 Aedes aegypti Originating in Africa.
