Details
Aedes aegypti
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.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Thrives around people in tropical, subtropical, and some temperate cities. Larvae develop in small water containers, tires, buckets, and plant saucers.
Adults are small and dark with white markings on the legs. The upper thorax bears a pale lyre-shaped pattern.
Females often bite during the day near homes. They locate hosts using carbon dioxide, body heat, and skin odors.
Males feed on nectar and other sugars. Females also take sugar, but need blood meals to mature eggs.
Females lay drought-resistant eggs just above water lines. When containers refill, larvae hatch and can develop quickly.
Local abundance depends on temperature, rainfall, and water storage. Removing small standing-water containers is a core control measure.
