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| Also known as:
| Also known as:
===Identification===
===Identification===
Culicidae flies like all insects have 3 pairs of legs and like all Diptera order flies have only a single set of wings and vestigal set of 'halters'.
Culicidae flies like all insects have 3 pairs of legs and like all Diptera order flies have only a single set of wings and vestigal set of 'halters'. They are small flies, between 2 and 10mm long with a slender body and legs. They consist of a head, thorax and abdomen and have a forward facing pobosic used for feading that protrudes from the head. The wings of Culicidae flies are narrow and fringed with scales at the rear margins.
===Life Cycle===
The life cycle of Culicidae flies is holometabolous meaning that they have a number of disticnt morphological states. The initial stages require areas of standing water in which to develop. The life cycle of these flies my take anywhere from two weeks to several months dependant on envirnmental conditrions, principaly the temperature.
'''Eggs'''
The eggs of Culicidae flies must be laid on areas of standing water such as buckets or ponds. They are laid either singularly or in rafts.
'''Larva'''
The larval stages are aquatic free living stages living close to the surface of standing water and feeding off the algae in the surface layer of the water. They can be seen hanging from the surface but may move deeper into the water if it is disturbed. The larval stage goes through several moults before it pupates.
'''Pupa'''
The pupal stage of Culicidae flies is also aquatic and hangs from the surface of standing water.
'''Adult'''
The adult fly emerges from the pupa after a number of days and is the only non aquatic stage of the life cycle. Both the male and female are nectar feeders, however in order to provide the nutrients for producing eggs the female must take a blood meal.
'''Pathogenesis'''
'''Pathogenesis'''