West Nile Virus
Prevalence: Low
Risk 2/5
Inland Floodwater Mosquito (Coquillettidia)
Coquillettidia perturbans · “The Plant Piercer”
Medium brown mosquito found in freshwater marshes. Larvae feed on plant roots rather than water directly. Active during summer.
Disease risks
How to identify
- Size
- 6-8mm (medium)
- Color
- Brown with lighter markings
- Distinctive features
- Distinctive proboscis; banded legs
- Resting posture
- Head-up posture
- Prefers
- Humans and mammals
- Pain level
- Moderate
- Persistence
- Moderate
- Transmission
- Occasional vector for West Nile Virus
What actually works
Habitat Elimination (Source Control)
Removal and treatment of breeding sites. Professional inspection identifies and eliminates standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs.
Pyrethroid Spray Treatment
Professional-grade synthetic pyrethroid insecticide applied by licensed technicians. Fast-acting, EPA-approved, effective against adult mosquitoes.
Fun fact
Coquillettidia perturbans larvae are unique in that they pierce aquatic plant roots to access air, rather than getting air from the water surface like most mosquito larvae.