Mosquito

Worldwide, primarily near standing water sources like ponds, marshes, and man-made containers.

Adults feed on plant nectar for energy; however, females require a blood meal from mammals or birds to produce eggs.

Crepuscular or nocturnal, they use carbon dioxide and heat signatures to find hosts. They undergo complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult) with aquatic larval stages.

Most species are primarily a nuisance, but some are vectors for serious diseases like Malaria, West Nile Virus, and Zika. They serve as a vital food source for birds, bats, and aquatic life.