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What Do Mosquitoes Look Like?
There are over 3,000 different species of mosquitoes worldwide, but they all share very similar characteristics. Mosquitoes share the following features:
- Adult mosquitoes only reach about ¼ – ½” long. They weigh under 2.5 mg.
- Mosquitoes range in color and patterns by species, but most species in the U.S. are either gray or brown with white stripes and iridescent scales.
- Some of mosquitoes’ characteristic qualities are their slender legs, thin wings, and hunched back.
- Mosquitoes have a long proboscis that they use to draw blood from hosts and nectar from plants.
Are Those Mosquitoes?
It’s easy to confuse mosquitoes for other small, flying insects around Moore County, but you can distinguish them from other bugs by looking for these two features: their scaly wings and long proboscis. Mosquitoes can be much smaller than you might imagine, so people often confuse them with larger insects, but you can identify mosquitoes by their behaviors and unique body parts.
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Bugs That Look Like Mosquitoes
Crane flies, mayflies, midges, and gnats are all often confused for mosquitoes. Here’s how they differ:
- Crane flies: Crane flies look a lot like mosquitoes, but can be double or even triple their size. They are sometimes referred to as mosquito hawks or mosquito eaters, but they do not actually eat mosquitoes. Instead, they feed on plant nectar.
- Mayflies: Mayflies have larger wings that slant upward, and they don’t have a proboscis. They also do not bite or sting.
- Midges/gnats: Midges and gnats are usually found in large swarms. They lack a proboscis and do not bite people.
Mosquito Species Living in Moore County
About 150 species of mosquitoes are living in the United States, but the most common mosquitoes around Moore County are the Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex mosquitoes. Although vector-borne diseases are rare in our area, some types of Aedes mosquitoes are capable of spreading diseases. If you need help identifying mosquitoes in your yard, reach out to your local mosquito exterminators.