Of the approximately 50 species of mosquitoes recorded in Colorado, about a dozen or so would be expected to occur in the Monument area.
In general, mosquitoes in the genus Aedes (shown in blue on the trap data pie diagrams) are mainly nuisance biters, although one of our more common species in Colorado, Aedes vexans, is known to be a vector of Dog Heartworm, a disease quite rare in Colorado dogs. In Monument, one of the most common species is Aedes increpitus, an aggressive biter of humans but not a known vector of diseases here. The larvae occur in overflow pools along the sides of streams, as well as in depressions filled by rain or snow melt. It is commonly found in the foothills and mountain valleys across Colorado, and can be a major nuisance pest from late spring into early summer.
Species in the genus Culex (shown in red on the trap data pie diagrams) are the main vectors of the West Nile Virus, as well as Western Equine Encephalitis and St. Louis Encephalitis. In Colorado, our main West Nile Virus vector is Culex tarsalis, occurring throughout the summer. Their larvae usually thrive in more permanent waters, including cattail swamps and marshy wetlands.
Other species recorded occasionally in Monument include Culiseta inornata, one of the largest mosquitoes in Colorado, biting primarily larger mammals like deer and livestock. Mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles also occur rarely in the Monument area, related to the malaria-carrying mosquitoes but not recorded to carry malaria in our region.
