There are over 3500 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world, with at least 200 species active within the United States. Our great state alone has over 60 species of mosquitoes that have been identified within. Of these species, 48 different types have been identified in the South Cook County Mosquito Abatement District area.
Most of these species are unimportant and are just nuisances; however, some are disease vectors (insects that transmits a pathogen). In a typical year, over 90% of the mosquitoes found in the SCCMAD are of 3 species:
- Aedes Vexans
- Culex Pipiens
- Culex Restuans
Unfortunately, Aedes Vexans is a major nuisance species vector of the Zika Virus and Culex Pipiens is the probable human vector of the West Nile Virus in Illinois.