# UK Mosquitos?



## TM-Dubz (Apr 13, 2011)

Lately I've had a few mosquito looking insects in my house. Are they mozzies and are they harmful in the UK (as disease carriers) if yes? 

Cheers


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## Bexzini (Oct 21, 2010)

Eek its a bit early for mozzies i thought you mostly start seeing them in the summer months!!! I dont think they are dangerous in the UK i think they are only dangerous in the really hot countries where they can spread malaria and stuff, but i might be wrong


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## aaronsweeting (Feb 3, 2011)

99% of the time there not dangerous in the uk, seeing as malaria isnt a wide spread issue here, i hate them things and squish everyone i see


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## TMSreptiles (Nov 15, 2010)

I'm not particularly excited for summer just because of the mosquitoes.
We live in Minnesota and a lot of people here say that mosquitoes are the state bird around here :Na_Na_Na_Na:
There are even mugs for it, so it must be serious.......
Anyways, they aren't a huge problem at our house because we have a "bugilator" in our backyard that kills most of them. My only fear is my ferret who hasn't had his yearly vaccinations yet because we leave a ton of our windoes open and there are sliding glass doors EVERYWHERE, so we barely even have walls in the summer.
Again not excited for the mosquito months 
Good luck smashing the poor things (they're living things too, ya know) :bash::bash:


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Are you telling some one off for killing mossies?

"Anyways, they aren't a huge problem at our house because we have a "bugilator" in our backyard that kills most of them."

Good luck killing them in your garden (they're living things too, ya know).


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## TMSreptiles (Nov 15, 2010)

Stelios said:


> Are you telling some one off for killing mossies?


 Um.... no. I'm just saying that people smash them without even thinking about the fact that they're living things too.
I'm not telling anyone off.


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## gray1 (May 24, 2010)

I've seen a few lately as well, they may of hatched early because of the hot weather. 
Just normally catch them and feed them to a mantis.


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Tango Mike Whiskey said:


> Lately I've had a few mosquito looking insects in my house. Are they mozzies and are they harmful in the UK (as disease carriers) if yes?
> 
> Cheers


They could be mozzies, they could be some of the smaller species of crane-fly, which look rather similar.



Bexzini said:


> Eek its a bit early for mozzies i thought you mostly start seeing them in the summer months!!! I dont think they are dangerous in the UK i think they are only dangerous in the really hot countries where they can spread malaria and stuff, but i might be wrong


We've seen mozzies up on the moors around here, so yeah, they're out all summer.

As for danger, no real danger in the UK, however the WHO do say global warming look to change that. Malaria is only carried by certain mosquito species, which are not currently found here. But raise the temps a few degrees...


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## Christie&Spence (Feb 27, 2010)

I hate the stupid things! mainly because I have an allergic reaction to their bite and i swell up like a balloon. Last year I had 33 bites on my legs so I couldn't walk. :devil: Needless to say if I ever get stung by a wasp or a bee it's a trip to the hospital for me! :2thumb:


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## jaykickboxer (Feb 11, 2008)

TMSreptiles said:


> I'm not particularly excited for summer just because of the mosquitoes.
> We live in Minnesota and a lot of people here say that mosquitoes are the state bird around here :Na_Na_Na_Na:
> There are even mugs for it, so it must be serious.......
> Anyways, they aren't a huge problem at our house because we have a "bugilator" in our backyard that kills most of them. My only fear is my ferret who hasn't had his yearly vaccinations yet because we leave a ton of our windoes open and there are sliding glass doors EVERYWHERE, so we barely even have walls in the summer.
> ...


One of the most contradicting things one ever herd I blitz em! Either that or wake up with bites galore I live bear a river which I don't think helps


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## Corsetts (Dec 8, 2008)

Lot's of mosquitoes aout in Kent at the moment, they've been active for a while now.

Got really savaged on a mountain bike ride last tHursday, thought I was goint to need a blood transfusion by the time I got home :lol2:


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## Ally (Mar 8, 2006)

I'll point Lex at the thread, he'll know useful stuff!

...and loads of non-useful stuff too


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Herro!

In a nutshell,
They could well be mosquitoes. Some genus of mosquito such as _Aedes_ are able to lay eggs that withstand desiccation for several months allowing them to technically overwinter the more harsh winter periods, other genus like _Culex_ are unable to do this and will be in continual cycle all year round. It is in fact the Culex mosquito that is the most abundant of the 33 species specific to the UK (including 6 non natives) but although they are the most abundant the majority of the population will in fact be feeding on birds, not humans.

The adult female Culex mosquito will lay rafts of eggs on the surface of still water (ranging anything from the edges of ponds to that murky rainwater that has collected in your watering can), and the larva can complete their development from egg to pupa in less than a week given the right (or wrong) environmental conditions.

As for health issues the mosquito itself will do nothing more than produce a familiar swelling and itching caused by your bodies reaction to the mosquito's saliva, which provides anticoagulation and local anesthesia and the mechanical disruption of the proboscis. It is however within the saliva that other issues can arise, as this in generally the point of entry of parasites and pathogens, the most 'famous' of which is the malaria parasite which is transmuted by species within the Culex genus.

Generally however female mosquito's are night predators and will most commonly be active around dusk when they are still warm enough to maintain constant flight and can travel in excess of a mile looking for a suitable blood meal.

Also its interesting to note that it is only the female mosquito which takes a blood meal, the males will feed exclusively on nectar.


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Oh, that reminds me of this awesome thing:

London Underground mosquito - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

I do have one or two in the office with me.


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Are midges a type of mosquito?


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Stelios said:


> Are midges a type of mosquito?


No they aren't mosquitoes they are from the family Culicidae, and the midge from Ceratopogonidae the most common of which in the UK is the Culicoides, the mosquito has a 'drilling' proboscis whereas I believe the midge is more like a 'piercing' stylet, to pierce the epidermis and then pool feed from the welling blood. Usually cattle feeders, common vectors of blue tongue.


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## Corsetts (Dec 8, 2008)

Lex said:


> image
> 
> I do have one or two in the office with me.


Just give me Five minutes with a rolled up newspaper... 

In all seriousness, thanks for the informative post.
I was under the impression that the females only drank blood when they were preparing to lay eggs and the rest of the time fed on plant sap.
Is that not true?

Either won't change my opinion of the buggers, I hates 'em :lol2:

Are you an entomologist or are they part of a research project BTW?


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Corsetts said:


> Just give me Five minutes with a rolled up newspaper...
> 
> In all seriousness, thanks for the informative post.
> I was under the impression that the females only drank blood when they were preparing to lay eggs and the rest of the time fed on plant sap.
> ...


They have to have nectar, but this is usually from flowering plants and not from the sap of the plant, but require the protein from blood in order to produce the eggs.

As to the last question its a little bit of both, I work in a contract insectary.


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## Corsetts (Dec 8, 2008)

Interesting stuff, thank you


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## gazzab1990 (Jul 22, 2009)

I've only ever seen/heard one mosquito and that was up in Lincoln mid-summer. I didn't think they were very common at all in the UK... do they all make a buzzing sound?


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

30 species in the UK. All make high pitched buzzing sounds.

Mosquitoes - Culicidae - UK Safari


: victory:


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

They're everywhere in the UK, and yet I've known people who're adamant that "you don't get mosquitos in England" and plenty more who're sure you don't get them in Scotland.


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

gazzab1990 said:


> I've only ever seen/heard one mosquito and that was up in Lincoln mid-summer. I didn't think they were very common at all in the UK... do they all make a buzzing sound?


The males will actually alter the pitch of their humming in order to attract a female mid flight.


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## Ally (Mar 8, 2006)

"Hey baby... *eeeeEEEEEEEEEE* "


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Ally said:


> "Hey baby... *eeeeEEEEEEEEEE* "


Lord knows that how I get the ladies...


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i have mass misquitos here in my state... big ones!


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## Ally (Mar 8, 2006)

Lex said:


> Lord knows that how I get the ladies...


Before you use the chloroform?


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Ally said:


> Before you use the chloroform?


The high pitched humming helps mask my footsteps...


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## gazzab1990 (Jul 22, 2009)

Lex said:


> The males will actually alter the pitch of their humming in order to attract a female mid flight.





bothrops said:


> 30 species in the UK. All make high pitched buzzing sounds.
> 
> Mosquitoes - Culicidae - UK Safari
> 
> ...


Heh, learn something new every day. I've definitely only heard one once then... I've camped out in the woods at least 20 times as well


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

bothrops said:


> 30 species in the UK. All make high pitched buzzing sounds.
> 
> Mosquitoes - Culicidae - UK Safari
> 
> ...


 
Lex - must apologise. Clicked on the thread at work. Read the post above mine, assumed it was the first post and googled a quick link. I hadn't noticed that the post above mine was actually the third page of a thread that you had already 'put to bed' with a superbly detailed and expert post!

Please ingore my inexpert '30' and refer to Lex for any and all information regarding blood sucking parasites in future :2thumb:


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

bothrops said:


> Lex - must apologise. Clicked on the thread at work. Read the post above mine, assumed it was the first post and googled a quick link. I hadn't noticed that the post above mine was actually the third page of a thread that you had already 'put to bed' with a superbly detailed and expert post!
> 
> Please ingore my inexpert '30' and refer to Lex for any and all information regarding blood sucking parasites in future :2thumb:


Ah they're fascinating beasties. I could talk about then and the other 'nasties' you find in your back garden all day. So no hard keeping the thread going at all


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Come on lets have it then?
We want to hear about the nasties please.8)


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Stelios said:


> Come on lets have it then?
> We want to hear about the nasties please.8)


I work with cockroachs, bedbugs, pests of stored products, houseflies, moths occasionally fleas too.


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Just the roaches found in this country or Jonny foreigner roach too?


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Stelios said:


> Just the roaches found in this country or Jonny foreigner roach too?


The ones I culture are pest species. So should be found fairly worldwide, there are 3300 species of cockroach but only 33 of those are considered to be pests to man.


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Lex said:


> The ones I culture are pest species. So should be found fairly worldwide, there are 3300 species of cockroach but only 33 of those are considered to be pests to man.


The only ones that I know are German roaches, we used to get lots in the nick.
Saw a large reddish iridescent one when I was tripping which freaked me out for a bit, which erm I squished with a news paper.:blush:
Don't know what sp this was?


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Stelios said:


> The only ones that I know are German roaches, we used to get shit loads in the nick.
> Saw a large reddish iridescent one when I was tripping which freaked me out for a bit, which erm I squished with a news paper.:blush:
> Don't know what sp this was?


Most likely periplaneta americana if you want to give that a google.


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Lex said:


> Most likely periplaneta americana if you want to give that a google.


Nope doesn't look like it but then the size and colour might be erm induced.

Looked and acted more like this Blatta orientalis.


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Lex said:


> I work with cockroachs, bedbugs, pests of stored products, houseflies, moths occasionally fleas too.


those little 'furry bear' things I used to find in dusty corners of the carpet in my student digs?


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

bothrops said:


> those little 'furry bear' things I used to find in dusty corners of the carpet in my student digs?


Sounds like a carpet beetle larva, family Dermestes and related to karpa beetles, which are the ones they use in museums to clean bones.


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Lex said:


> Sounds like a carpet beetle larva, family Dermestes and related to karpa beetles, which are the ones they use in museums to clean bones.


That's them. Do you breed them too?


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

bothrops said:


> That's them. Do you breed them too?


I have dermestes lardarius, alphatobius and another species that I found in a bag of grain and have yet to get round to identifying.


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## Ally (Mar 8, 2006)

And you have tiny weevils. Which is awesome because they're cute :flrt:


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Ally said:


> And you have tiny weevils. Which is awesome because they're cute :flrt:


Does he have big ones too?

If so he could pair them up and label all the little ones in each pair as 
'The lesser of two weevils' .....that would be awesome:lol2:


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

bothrops said:


> Does he have big ones too?
> 
> If so he could pair them up and label all the little ones in each pair as
> 'The lesser of two weevils' .....that would be awesome:lol2:


Sadly not. But come that day I do. That's the very first thing I'll do.


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## Ally (Mar 8, 2006)

bothrops said:


> Does he have big ones too?
> 
> If so he could pair them up and label all the little ones in each pair as
> 'The lesser of two weevils' .....that would be awesome:lol2:


This is too awesome.

LEX - GET SOME BIG WEEVILS!!


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Ally said:


> This is too awesome.
> 
> LEX - GET SOME BIG WEEVILS!!


Fine!! There are usually some on the trees outside the office. But if I fall and break something.


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## mcluskyisms (Jan 24, 2010)

I'll get you some...


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## xx-SAVANNAH-xx (Jan 9, 2010)

TMSreptiles said:


> Um.... no. I'm just saying that people smash them without even thinking about the fact that they're living things too.
> I'm not telling anyone off.


Are u serious???? there dirty disease carriers and there are billions of them. are you seriously defending these things!


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

xx-SAVANNAH-xx said:


> Are u serious???? *there dirty disease carriers and there are billions of them.* are you seriously defending these things!


Sounds like humans to me, and you aren't allowed to kill them


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

xx-SAVANNAH-xx said:


> Are u [you] serious???? [one or none] there [they're] dirty disease carriers and there are billions of them. are you seriously defending these things!


In the UK they're not really carrying diseases, plus the number of them doesn't make it ok to kill them. To add to that, they're not dirty. So, yeah, what was your point again?



Crownan said:


> Sounds like humans to me, and you aren't allowed to kill them


:lol2:


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Crownan said:


> Sounds like humans to me, and you aren't allowed to kill them


:notworthy:


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## Lucky Eddie (Oct 7, 2009)

Lex said:


> I could talk about then and the other 'nasties' you find in your back garden all day.


You should stay in more!!!!!


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Hedgewitch said:


> In the UK they're not really carrying diseases, plus the number of them doesn't make it ok to kill them. To add to that, they're not dirty. So, yeah, what was your point again?
> 
> 
> 
> :lol2:


But they kind of are. There are many types of different pathogen and parasite which affect animals and livestock, not just humans. Just because we don't have malaria here doesn't mean there aren't other nasties lurking about. Give me a bit and I'll give you some. But off the top of my head I think micofalaria is vectored by Mosquitos to dogs to start with.


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## Lex (Sep 11, 2008)

Lucky Eddie said:


> You should stay in more!!!!!


I should... Wha??


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Lex said:


> But they kind of are. There are many types of different pathogen and parasite which affect animals and livestock, not just humans. Just because we don't have malaria here doesn't mean there aren't other nasties lurking about. Give me a bit and I'll give you some. But off the top of my head I think micofalaria is vectored by Mosquitos to dogs to start with.


Fair point, I was thinking only humans.

Wasn't there an outbreak of avian malaria amongst the penguins at Edinburgh zoo a while back?


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