Aedes vexans, commonly known as the inland floodwater mosquito or tomguito, is a widespread and frequently encountered pest mosquito with a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.[1]
The adult female A. vexans is characterized by a bandless proboscis with white ventral scales, short, brown scales on the scutum, and B-shaped markings (when viewed from the side) on each abdominal tergite.[2] Only females take blood meals, showing a preference for humans and cattle, while males feed exclusively on nectar, honeydew, and sap—sources that females also utilize, though infrequently.[3] This species is commonly found in habitats such as grassy pools, partially shaded woodland pools, roadside ditches, and cultivated fields.[4]
Lifecycle
After a blood meal, the female A. vexans deposits her eggs in areas prone to flooding, where they remain dormant until inundated, triggering hatching.[5] In temperate regions, larvae are present from April to September, and adults are active from May to October.[4]
Medical importance
A. vexans is a recognized vector for several pathogens:
Tahyna virus, a Bunyaviridae virus affecting humans in Europe, causing fever that typically resolves within two days but may progress to encephalitis or meningitis in rare cases.[7]
Myxomatosis, a viral disease fatal to rabbits, though A. vexans’ role as a vector is less definitive and may be region-specific.[8]
West Nile virus, affects mainly birds, humans and horses; found in mosquitoes collected in the UK in 2025, published in May 2025.[9]
In Europe, A. vexans is the predominant mosquito species, often accounting for over 80% of the mosquito population in certain areas, with abundance tied to floodwater availability.[10] During summer, trap collections can yield up to 8,000 individuals per night.[10] The species has demonstrated a higher transmission efficiency for Zika virus compared to A. aegypti, enhancing its potential as a vector in northern latitudes beyond the range of primary vectors A. aegypti and A. albopictus, due to its wide distribution, periodic high abundance, and aggressive human-biting behavior.[11]
Additionally, A. vexans harbors insect-specific viruses, including Chaoyang virus[12] and Aedes vexans Iflavirus,[13] which do not affect humans or other vertebrates but are of interest in virological studies.
↑ Horsfall, W.R. (1955). Mosquitos: Their Bionomics and Relation to Disease. Ronald Press Co. pp.150–152.
↑ Ledesma, N.; Harrington, L. (2011). "Mosquito vectors of dog heartworm in the United States". Veterinary Parasitology. 180 (1–2): 101–108. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.05.042.
↑ Hubálek, Z. (2008). "Mosquito-borne viruses in Europe". Parasitology Research. 103 (Suppl 1): S29 –S43. doi:10.1007/s00436-008-1064-7.
↑ Kerr, P.J. (2012). "Myxomatosis in Australia: A historical perspective". Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 48 (4): 807–815. doi:10.7589/2012-03-086.
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