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The mosquito is a common flying insect that is found around the world. There are about 2,800 different species of them.

The mosquito females drink blood and the nectar of plants; the males only sip plant nectar. When a female bites, she also injects an anticoagulant anti-clotting chemical into the prey to keep the victims blood flowing. She finds her victims by sight and smell, and also by detecting their warmth. Not all mosquito species bite humans.

The mosquito is often a carrier of diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, encephalitis, yellow fever, West Nile virus, dog heartworm, and many others. The females, who drink blood, can carry disease from one animal or human to another as they feed.

Female mosquitoes can live as long a one month.

Depending on the species, female mosquitoes may lay 100 to 300 eggs at a time.

Classification: Kingdom Animalia; Phylum Arthropoda arthropods; Class Insecta insects; Order Diptera "two wings"; Family Culicidae.