What is the most common mosquito in Vermont?

• A. Cattail mosquito
• B. Aedes aegypti
• C. Anopheles gambiae
• D. Culex pipiens

Answer: (A)

In Vermont, the most common mosquito is Culex pipiens, the northern house mosquito. This species thrives in temperate climates and is widespread across the state, breeding in standing water that’s common around homes and in the landscape—things like gutters, storm drains, bird baths, and ponds. Because it can occupy a wide range of breeding sites and is abundant once the warmer months arrive, it tends to outnumber other species. The tropical Aedes aegypti doesn’t have established populations in Vermont, Anopheles gambiae is native to Africa, and the cattail mosquito isn’t the dominant, widely distributed species in this region. So Culex pipiens best fits the idea of the most common Vermont mosquito.