Mosquito
Aedes aegypti: the vector of dengue fever and yellow fever
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Suborder:	Nematocera
Family:	Culicidae
Subfamilies
Anophelinae Culicinae
Diversity
43 genera

Larvae of a Culex mosquito

A mosquito is a type of fly. It is the common name of a family of flies in the order Diptera.

The females are ectoparasites: they land on warm-blooded animals, pierce a capillary, and inject saliva to stop the blood coagulating. Then they suck up and eat the blood. Deadly microscopic parasites often live in the saliva.

The males are nectar-feeders, and so are the females. However, in preparation for egg-laying the females turn to blood for its protein.