Chapter 1
Ancient roots in deep time
Chapter 2
The watery nurseries
Chapter 3
How they conquered the globe
Chapter 4
The unexpected ecological roles
YOUR GOAL
Master of Where mosquitoes come from
Ch 1 · Ancient roots in deep time
diletta Mosquito Evolution
Way back when, way back when, Even the boys were biting way back when!
diletta Trace the origins of mosquitoes with this infographic illustrating their evolutionary transition to feeding on warm-blooded hosts.
diletta See how mosquitoes evolved alongside dinosaurs. Discover the prehistoric origins of these insects with this educational image.
BETA
diletta Trace the evolutionary history of mosquitoes in this interactive game. Discover their ancient roots and how they evolved over deep time.
Fun Fact
Prehistoric male biters: A 125-million-year-old Lebanese amber fossil proved that ancient male mosquitoes once possessed sharp, blood-sucking mouthparts.
Glossary
fossil (noun)
The preserved remains or traces of a once-living organism from a past geological age. A 46-million-year-old mosquito specimen from Montana contains the oldest direct evidence of blood-feeding.
The preserved remains or traces of a once-living organism from a past geological age. A 46-million-year-old mosquito specimen from Montana contains the oldest direct evidence of blood-feeding.
Quiz
Roughly how many different species of mosquitoes have scientists identified worldwide today?
Quiz
In which country was the oldest known mosquito fossil discovered in 125-million-year-old amber?
Quiz
What event 66 million years ago forced mosquitoes to shift their primary food source to mammals?
Quiz
What chemical do modern mosquitoes primarily use to detect a host from up to 150 feet away?