Dengue has been a reality in Brazil for decades. We already know what the symptoms of the disease are and how to control the breeding of the vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti, but still many people confuse normal mosquitoes with dengue vectors. The differences are many and easy to spot.

First of all, the dengue mosquito and the mosquito are two mosquitoes from different families. While the former is Aedes aegypti, the mosquito is Culex quinquefasciatus. It is possible to get acquainted with them both during the flight, and “on the job”, and during rest. The colors are different. The mosquito has a uniform brown color and Aedes aegypti has a black body with white stripes. Also the size: the first is from 3 to 4 mm, while the second is from 5 to 7 mm.

The flight characteristics and habits of both are also different. While the mosquito has a slower and noisier flight (generates a hum), the Aedes aegypti is faster and quieter and usually attacks from 9 am to 1 pm. Mosquitoes, in turn, work at night from 6 pm.

Another difference is in the bite. The mosquito leaves a small red bump and this itchy mark. On the other hand, the dengue mosquito does not leave marks and does not itch with the bite. It should also be noted that Aedes aegypti is also a vector of chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika virus.

Both lay eggs in stagnant water, but the dengue mosquito prefers clean water and deposits eggs in several places apart. The mosquito lays its eggs together, in the form of a raft, in dirty, polluted water.