Tuscola County

Quick Reference Mosquito Key

• 1) Examine mouth parts
• 1a) Palpus as long as proboscis, dark spots on wings = Anopheles spp
• 1b) Palpus shorter than proboscis- 2
• 2) Examine end of abdomen
• 2a) Has pointed abdomen, cercus extended- 3
• 2b) Has rounded or blunt abdomen, cercus retracted-4
• 3) Examine size of mosquito
• 3a) Large mosquito, 1cm in length = Psorophora spp
• 3b) Smaller mosquito, more commonly found = Aedes spp
• 4) Examine size and coloration
• 4a) Larger relative to other mosquitoes, posses hairs on wing viens near thorax = Culiseta spp.
• 4b) Relatively smaller, uniform color = Culex spp.
• 4c) Proboscis has stripe, pepper colored wing scales = Coquillettidia perturbans
• 4d) Small dark mosquito with metallic blue head scales = Uranotaenia sapphirina