Yellow fever mosquito

Aedes aegypti

Size: 0.4–0.7 cm
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Sociality: Loose group
Lifespan: —

A dark urban mosquito with white leg bands and a lyre-shaped mark on the thorax. It is important as a vector of yellow fever, dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.

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Key facts

Yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is a carnivore animal classified as Invertebrate · Diptera · Culicidae.
Primary habitats are urban · freshwater · forest, with a range across Afrotropical · Neotropical · Indomalayan · Australasian · Nearctic · Palearctic.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is loose group, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
A dark urban mosquito with white leg bands and a lyre-shaped mark on the thorax.
Thrives around people in tropical, subtropical, and some temperate cities.

Range

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Details

Habitat

Thrives around people in tropical, subtropical, and some temperate cities. Larvae develop in small water containers, tires, buckets, and plant saucers.

Appearance

Adults are small and dark with white markings on the legs. The upper thorax bears a pale lyre-shaped pattern.

Behavior

Females often bite during the day near homes. They locate hosts using carbon dioxide, body heat, and skin odors.

Feeding

Males feed on nectar and other sugars. Females also take sugar, but need blood meals to mature eggs.

Reproduction

Females lay drought-resistant eggs just above water lines. When containers refill, larvae hatch and can develop quickly.

Notes

Local abundance depends on temperature, rainfall, and water storage. Removing small standing-water containers is a core control measure.