About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 66. Chapters: Aedes albopictus, Bat bug, Bed bug, Black fly, Blandford fly, Cat flea, Ceratopogonidae, Chrysops caecutiens, Chrysops niger, Chrysops relictus, Cimex antennatus, Cimicidae, Culex, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culicoides imicola, Deer fly, Dog flea, Echidnophaga gallinacea, Fire ant, Haematobia irritans, Highland midge, Horse-fly, Lipoptena cervi, London Underground mosquito, Northern rat flea, Oriental rat flea, Polyctenidae, Prosimuliini, Pseudopulex, Red imported fire ant, Sandfly, Simuliinae, Simulium, Simulium yahense, Stable fly, Tabanomorpha, Tabanus, Tabanus autumnalis, Tabanus bovinus, Tabanus bromius, Tabanus cordiger, Tabanus darimonti, Tabanus eggeri, Tabanus glaucopis, Tabanus lineola, Tabanus maculicornis, Tabanus miki, Tabanus nigrovittatus, Tabanus spodopterus, Tabanus sudeticus, Triatoma, Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma dimidiata, Triatoma infestans, Triatoma juazeirensis, Triatoma melanica, Triatoma nigromaculata, Triatoma protracta, Triatoma sanguisuga, Triatominae. Excerpt: The mosquitoes are a family of small, midge-like flies: the Culicidae. Although a few species are harmless or even useful to humanity, most are a nuisance because they consume blood from living vertebrates, including humans. The females of many species of mosquitoes are blood eating pests. In feeding on blood, some of them transmit extremely harmful human and livestock diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever and filariasis. Some authorities argue accordingly that mosquitoes are the most dangerous animals on Earth. Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae (from the Latin meaning "midge" or "gnat"). The word mosquito (formed by mosca and diminutive ito) is from the Spanish or Portuguese for "little fly." Superficially, mosquitoes resemble crane flies (family Tipulidae) and chironomid flies (family Chironomidae); as a result, casual observers seldom realize the important differences between the members of the respective families. In particular, the females of many species of mosquitoes are blood eating pests and dangerous vectors of diseases, whereas members of the similar-looking Chironomidae and Tipulidae are not. Many species of mosquitoes are not blood eaters, and many of those that do create a "high to low pressure" in the blood to obtain it do not transmit disease. Also, in the bloodsucking species, only the females suck blood. Furthermore, even among mosquitoes that do carry important diseases, neither all species of mosquitoes, nor or all strains of a given species transmit the same kinds of diseases, nor do they all transmit the diseases under the same circumstances; their habits differ. For example, some species attack people in houses, and others prefer to attack people walking in forests. Accordingly, in managing public health, knowing which species, even which strains, of mosquitoes with which one is dealing is important. Over 3,500 species of mosquitoes have already been described from various parts of the world. Some mosquit
