Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes


TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData

Species Anopheles punctipennis

Anopheles punctipennis - female Skeeter at Lights - Anopheles punctipennis - female Skeeter at Lights - Anopheles punctipennis - female mosquito with colored wings - Anopheles punctipennis - female mosquito - Anopheles punctipennis - female Skeeters out already! - Anopheles punctipennis - female Mosquito - Anopheles punctipennis - female Anopheles punctipennis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))
Infraorder Culicomorpha
Family Culicidae (Mosquitoes)
Genus Anopheles
Species punctipennis (Anopheles punctipennis)
Other Common Names
Woodland Malaria Mosquito
Pronunciation
punkt-ee-PENN-iss
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Orig. Comb: Culex punctipennis Say 1823
Numbers
17 spp. of Anopheles n. of Mex.
Identification
Adult Female: wing pattern is all you need for identification. Very distinctive wings with predominantly dark scales and cream colored scales in the costal and subcostal areas (see photo, drawing).


Larva: head hairs 5, 6, 7 are long, multibranched and plumose. Head hairs 8 and 9 usually with 5 to 7 branches. Lateral setae on abdominal segments IV-VI are not plumose.
Range
Most of N. Amer.
Habitat
Adult females overwinter in abandoned buildings, cellars, caves, hollow trees, and similar habitats.
Larvae are usually found in semi-permanent and permanent ponds, margins of slow moving streams, rain-water barrels and other artificial containers. (1)
Season
Adults: All year, but reach their greatest abundance in early Spring and late Fall
Larvae: May - September
Food
Females prefer mammals and birds for blood meals.
Life Cycle
This is a multivoltine species (multiple generations per year).
Remarks
They can be infected with malaria in the laboratory. Listed by the CDC as producing WNV positives
Internet References
photo of distinctive wing pattern (Michael Hildreth, South Dakota State U.)
larva photos indicating distinctive features (Michael Hildreth, South Dakota State U.)
adult photo and drawing plus description and other info (Virginia Mosquito Control Association)
Works Cited
1.Identification Guide to the Mosquitos of Connecticut
By Theodore G. Andreadis, Michael C. Thomas, John J. Shepard