Harmful centipede - a mosquito that threatens plants

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The long-legged mosquito has been familiar to many since childhood. The terrifying appearance was often perceived as the appearance of “malarial mosquitoes” and caused fear among many. Although they are completely harmless insects that do not bite or sting. These insects look like an enlarged copy of the familiar mosquito. Everyone is scared by a huge mosquito with long legs hanging from the ceiling or flying around the room, but this is an absolutely harmless creature for people.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Long-legged mosquito

Long-legged mosquitoes are known to mankind from Cretaceous and Tertiary amber deposits. The oldest evidence is Lebanese amber (Lower Cretaceous, about 130 million years old), the youngest example is found in Dominican amber, where it has been present since the Miocene (Neogene period) for 15 to 40 million years. Representatives of more than 30 genera have been discovered in Baltic amber, some of which still exist today.

Video: Long-legged mosquito

Fun fact: Tipulidae is one of the largest groups of mosquitoes, containing more than 526 genera and subgenera. Most centipede mosquitoes have been described by entomologist Charles Alexander, a mosquito specialist, in more than 1,000 scientific publications.

The phylogenetic position of the Tipulidae mosquito remains unknown. The classic view is that they are an early branch of Diptera - possibly with winter mosquitoes (Trichoceridae), they are the sister group of all other Diptera - inferior to modern species. Taking into account the data of molecular studies, it is possible to compare the derived characteristics of the larvae, similar to those of the “higher” dipterous insects.

Pediciidae and Tipulidae are sister groups, the "limoniids" are paraphyletic clades, and the Cylindrotominae appear to be a relict group, much better represented in the Tertiary. Tipulidae mosquitoes may have evolved from ancestors in the Upper Jurassic. The oldest examples of long-legged mosquitoes were found in Upper Jurassic limestones. In addition, representatives of the family were discovered in the Cretaceous of Brazil and Spain, and later in the Khabarovsk Territory. Also, remains of insect species can be found in Eocene limestones located near Verona.

Flat

European relatives of mushrooms lead a similar lifestyle. Some species glow at night.

Sources

• https://bez-klopa.ru/komaryi/chem-opasen-komar-dolgonozhka/
• https://notklop.ru/komary/o-komarah/bolshoj-komar/
• https://apest.ru/komary/o-komarah/bolshoj-komar/
• https://skanvordoff.ru/query/——–/%D0%B4%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3 %D0%B8%D0%B9+%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%80
• https://www.syl.ru/article/204708/new_samyiy-bolshoy-komar-v-mire
• https://bez-klopa.ru/komaryi/opasen-li-bolshoy-komar-kusaetsya-on-ili-net/
• https://DomoVreditel.ru/komary/komar-dolgonozhka
• https://MosquitoMagnet.ru/articles/fakty-iz-zhizni-komarov/kakie-nasekomye-pokhozhi-na-komarov.html

Appearance and features

Photo: What a centipede mosquito looks like

Long-legged mosquitoes (Tipulidae) are insects belonging to the Diptera family, suborder long-whiskered. They represent the largest mosquito species and reach a maximum body length of almost 40 mm, and a wingspan of more than 50 mm. Despite their size, weevil mosquitoes have a very slender body and narrow wings.

The external color usually varies from gray to brown, in some genera it can be yellow and even black and yellow or black and red. The wings are most often black in color and are laid back in the resting position. Like all dipterans, the hind wings turn into swinging joints (holders). In some species, the forewings are stunted. Their antennae have up to 19 segments. The insect also has a different V-shaped suture on its thorax.

The head is retracted, in the form of a “stigma”. It moves forward, making the proboscis very soft and capable of absorbing only liquids. The posterior end is clearly thickened and carries male fertilizing cells and female egg-laying cells, formed from the abdominal appendages. There are long antennae on the head.

Long legs are affected, which often have predetermined breaking points and, accordingly, quickly break off. They are very elongated. In long-legged mosquitoes (with the exception of the genus Indotipula, the legs have large processes called spurs. In addition to two large compound eyes, some species have rudimentary ocelli on the head.

Now you know whether the centipede mosquito is dangerous or not. Let's see where these insects are found.

Symptoms of malaria

When the disease enters the active stage, a person develops the following symptoms:

• severe chills accompanied by trembling in the body;
• febrile state with an increase in body temperature to high values;
• painful sensations in the joints;
• convulsive syndrome;
• repeated vomiting;
• the development of anemia when protozoa of the genus Plasmodium attach to red blood cells, which cause further death of the latter;
• unpleasant sensation of “goosebumps” on the skin;
• enlarged spleen;
• disruption of blood supply to the brain;
• intense headache of a regular nature.

The patient may have yellowness of the skin and whites of the eyes. Such signs appear with severe liver damage by plasmodia. Bilirubin increases in the blood, which turns the skin yellow. The sweat glands begin to work harder, which is why there is increased sweating.

The patient's condition is weak and dejected, there is no appetite. The person lies in bed and may experience convulsions and confusion. The progression of the disease leads to significant pallor of the skin, severe dizziness when trying to move the body to a horizontal position.

Where does the centipede mosquito live?

Photo: Insect mosquito centipede

Insects live everywhere on all continents. They are absent only in arid waterless areas, on small oceanic islands with year-round ice or snow cover, and also in the center of the Arctic + Antarctic. The world's fauna numbers approximately 4,200 insect species. These highly visible creatures are represented by a wide variety of species in virtually every biogeographic region (excluding Antarctica).

The number of species present was distributed by region as follows:

• Palearctic region - 1280 species;
• Nearctic kingdom - 573 species;
• neotropical region - 805 species;
• Afrotropical region - 339 species;
• Indo-Malayan zone - 925 species;
• Australasia - 385 species.

The larval habitats are concentrated in all types of freshwater and semi-saline environments. Some species are found in moist cushions of mosses or Marchantia mosses. Ctenophora Meigen species are found in rotting wood or turf logs. And the larvae of such species as Nephrotoma Meigen or Tipula Linnaeus are frequent guests of dry soils of pastures, steppes and lawns.

Larvae of the Tipulidae group are also found in rich organic soil and mud, in damp forest areas where there is a lot of rich humus, in leaves or mud, decaying plant parts or fruits that are in various stages of decay. Larvae play an important role in the soil ecosystem as they recycle organic material and increase microbial activity in sediments.

Malaria insect

There is another type of mosquito, the size of which also does not allow it to go unnoticed (on average up to 1 cm). It is called malarial, and its external features are similar to the centipede, which is why they are often confused. It received this name due to the fact that it has the ability to carry the malaria pathogen and infect a person with this disease through a bite.

Malaria insect

The malaria mosquito belongs to the Diptera family and is found everywhere, with the only exception being Antarctica. There are about 10 varieties in Russia. The body of the insect in question is oblong in shape. The head is small and has a long proboscis. The appearance is characterized by long legs and scaly wings. The latter, when not in flight, can be folded horizontally relative to the body. You can also find them with spotted colors.

They have several pairs of legs, and the hind limbs are much longer than the front ones. On the head, in addition to the sting, there are also antennae. They are long enough, which makes it possible to recognize the malaria mosquito. Before landing on a person, the mosquito makes characteristic circular movements in the air during flight. Insects reproduce exclusively in bodies of water, and not everyone is suitable for this process. The water must be clean; there may be very few plants at the bottom. Representatives love only filamentous algae; they allow the larvae to be hidden from predators.

Bloodsucker

From the laid eggs, larvae emerge that have a well-developed body and head. The head contains a large number of special devices in the form of brushes, which are used to absorb food. The body is visually divided into segments, but there are no legs, even false ones.

Due to the peculiarities of the respiratory system, when in water they are located parallel to the surface. Respiratory processes are carried out using spiracles, due to which the larvae often have to surface to absorb air.

They usually live in shallow bodies of water that are well lit. The optimal temperature depends on the type of malaria mosquito, and therefore varies from 10 to 35 degrees.

Having become familiar with the characteristics and distinctive features of the largest mosquitoes, you can safely go for a walk. It is recommended to respond adequately to large insects of this family and only if necessary resort to certain protection and safety measures.

What does the centipede mosquito eat?

Photo: Large centipede mosquito

Adults feed on available open plant juices, such as water and nectar, as well as pollen. They cannot absorb other denser foods through their mouthpieces. While the larvae consume decaying plant remains, they also consume tissues of living plants, causing significant damage to forestry and agriculture. Most people misidentify large mosquitoes from this family, mistaking them for dangerous malaria mosquitoes. Many people believe that they bite very painfully.

Interesting fact: The common assumption that centipede mosquitoes “sting” people has already been refuted by researchers by the fact that the sting of these mosquitoes cannot penetrate human skin.

The process of digestion itself is interesting. The main part of their diet is plant food, consisting of overly persistent substances that are difficult to digest. Namely fiber and lignin. To assimilate them, single-celled living organisms come to the aid of the larvae, which appear en masse in the intestines of the larvae. These cellular organisms secrete enzymes that help digest fiber.

The main food products of long-legged mosquito larvae include:

• humus;
• plant roots;
• moss;
• seaweed;
• detritus.

The internal single-celled organisms of the larvae help the food to be enriched with necessary substances, as a result of which the food is easily digested. Moreover, in the intestines of the larvae there are special blind outgrowths in which food is retained and where special conditions are created for the proliferation of microorganisms. A similar type of digestive system is also found in vertebrates, for example horses, and not just insects.

Fighting methods

Agrotechnical measures and the use of special chemicals will help protect crops from the pest.

Agrotechnical methods:

• Drainage of swampy meadows and fields.
• Deep fall plowing after harvesting.
• Regular maintenance of the drainage system, monitoring the water level.
• Liming of acidic soil.
• Getting rid of weeds between seedlings and along the edges of irrigation canals.
• Plowing between rows during the period of oviposition by female centipedes.

Chemicals

It is recommended to treat seeds with heptachlor and hexachlorane. Before the larvae reach an older age and become insensitive to poisons, it is necessary to lay out traps. Baits made from sawdust and corn are treated with heptachlor. They are laid out in fields in early spring or autumn. In infected gardens, when planting seedlings, granular products based on the enteric insecticide diazinon are placed in the soil. Such drugs are used against weevils, wireworms, and mole crickets. The most famous are “Grom” and “Medvetox”.

In the fields, the larvae are destroyed with a 12% hexachlorane solution. The substance is sprayed in the evening, when pests appear to feed. In some cases, they resort to a biological method of ridding the field of pests - nematode larvae are released into the infected area.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Long-legged mosquito

Especially in the evenings, long-legged mosquitoes often form small swarms. Different species fly in very different seasons. The swamp mosquito (Tipula Oleracea) flies from April to June, and in the second generation from August to October. The pest centipede (T. paludosa) flies only in August and September, the centipede Art Tipula czizeki - only in October and November. It is likely that this different timing of occurrence is a mechanism for separating species and preventing interbreeding.

Interesting fact: These insects have a funny design feature - they have halteres next to their wings. These vestigial appendages likely help balance in flight, increasing maneuverability.

Centipede mosquito larvae can be harmful when spread en masse, especially on vegetables. Up to 400 larvae per square meter can live in the soil, where they can destroy plantations by damaging roots and, at night, damaging plant surfaces. Among the most harmful species are the pest centipede (T. paludosa), marsh centipede (T. oleracea), T. czizeki and various other species that mainly feed on young plants in the forest.

The larvae of some species also consume other live aquatic invertebrates and insects, which could potentially consist of mosquito larvae, although this has not been formally documented. Many adults have such a short lifespan that they eat virtually nothing, and despite the widespread belief that adult centipede mosquitoes prey on mosquito populations, they are anatomically incapable of killing or consuming other insects.

Habitat

The huge centipede mosquito is found everywhere. The only exceptions are waterless deserts and places where ice and snow never melt.

The most preferable places for them are wetlands, moist soil of overgrown meadows, and dense forests. You can meet them on the banks of the river, on lawns, in parks, in the steppe.

Large mosquitoes do not live in people's homes, although they can accidentally fly in.

In Russia, the most common type of large mosquito is the marsh centipede; it is also called harmful because of the damage it causes to agricultural crops. This is due to the vast areas of swampy forests.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Black mosquito centipede

The adult female, in most cases, already has mature eggs when she emerges from the pupa, and mates almost immediately if there is a male. Males also search for females by flying at this time. Copulation takes anywhere from a few minutes to several hours and can be performed in flight. Adults have a life expectancy of 10 to 15 days. The female immediately lays eggs mainly in moist soil or algae.

Few people stir eggs on the surface of a pond or on dry soil, and some simply throw them in flight. As a rule, the female flies slightly above the ground in search of a suitable deposit. In some species (such as Tipula scripta and Tipula hortorum), the female digs a small cavity in the ground, after which she lays her eggs. In some species, females produce several hundred eggs.

Cylindrical, usually gray larvae without legs or other stepped organs of locomotion emerge from the eggs. Unlike fly larvae, mosquito larvae have a head capsule, but this (unlike the mosquito) is located behind a not completely enclosed hemisphere. A distinctive feature of the larvae is two posterior stigmas, which are surrounded by a dark field and six species-specialized extensions.

Most species of long-legged mosquito have black larvae. Using a special thread, they can secure the egg in an aqueous or humid environment. These sticky centipede mosquito larvae have been found in many types of land and water habitats. They are cylindrical in shape, but taper towards the anterior end, and the head capsule is often retracted into the thorax. The belly itself is smooth, covered with hairs, protrusions or welt-like spots.

Interesting fact: Larvae can feed on microflora, algae, living or decaying plant deposits, including wood. Some of the centipedes are predators. The mandibles of the larvae are very strong and difficult to crush. The larvae are an important element in the processing of foliage and needles.

Adult Tipula maxima larvae, about five centimeters long, live in forest streams and feed on autumn leaves. Help in the production of poorly digestible cellulose food occurs with the help of fermentation chambers. After four larval stages, they pupate, causing the doll to develop small horns in the chest area as a respiratory organ. The body is covered with spikes, and the doll itself is flexible. Pupation usually occurs in the ground or in rotten wood. In some species, pupae overwinter; in other species, two generations can be observed per year.

What harm does it cause?

Although not a threat to humans, mosquitoes can still cause serious damage to the agricultural industry.
There are some types of centipedes that are especially dangerous for cultivated plants:

• cabbage;
• harmful;
• autumn.

Representatives of these species infect plants that are planted in peat or mineral moist soil. Crops that require constant moisture are especially susceptible to attack by larvae.

Legumes are also not spared. It is preferable for those gardeners and farmers who grow cereals (especially rice) and berries to get rid of the larvae. When pupating, caramors need nutrients, which they obtain by also eating roots and tubers of plants.

Numerous broods of Karamor happily spoil entire pastures near rivers, whether they are sown or natural. When growing trees, hops or basket willow, you need to be especially careful - moist soil in which such seeds are sown is a convenient and well-fed shelter for voracious larvae.

Advice!

To protect future plants from attacks by long-legged mosquitoes, it is worth actively fighting them using insecticides, agricultural technology or fall plowing.

In addition to the described harm, caramora larvae can also bring certain benefits. This is what aquarists and fishermen say, using larvae to attract and catch fish.

Natural enemies of the centipede mosquito

Photo: What a centipede mosquito looks like

Centipedes have difficulty moving on overly elongated limbs. These legs often save their lives. When an attack occurs from a predator and it clings to a protruding limb, it easily breaks off, and after that the individual remains alive and can fly away.

Larvae and adults become valuable prey for many animals, namely:

• insects;
• fish;
• spiders;
• birds;
• amphibians;
• mammals.

In addition to their important role as recyclers of decaying matter, centipede mosquitoes are an excellent food source for many nesting birds at this time of year. So on those warm spring evenings when you see those big mosquitoes swarming around your porch light, you need to put all your fears aside and rest easy.

There are other centipede mosquitoes that fall outside the families Tipulidae and Pediciidae, but they are not as closely related to them. These include ptychopterids, winter mosquitoes and tanderid mosquitoes (Ptychopteridae, Trichoceridae and Tanyderidae, respectively). The most famous of these is the phantom mosquito Bittacomorpha clavipes, a large insect that flies with inflated legs (“feet”) to help lift its long black and white legs into the air.

How long do they live?

Karamora becomes more active from July to August. To lay eggs, the insect uses soil with high humidity or foliage. The centipede lays eggs of various sizes, which are covered with a dense shell. If the temperature and humidity are maintained at an acceptable level, then after 14 days, larvae and pupae appear. Adults emerge after 25–30 days. In some cases, the development period from egg to adult takes 11 months.

The centipede is an amazing insect that differs from all other types of mosquitoes. After all, it feeds only on plant nectar, which contains all the necessary nutrients.

What happens if a malaria mosquito bites and what to do if it bites you?

The appearance and lifestyle of the malaria mosquito differs very slightly from the ordinary mosquito that we encounter everywhere. However, its bite can pose a serious threat to human health. In this article, we will find out the main symptoms and treatment methods for a malaria mosquito bite.

Do malaria mosquitoes bite? Yes, a malaria mosquito can bite a person, but whether a bite is dangerous for our health becomes clear from the name of this insect. This mosquito can be a carrier of such a dangerous disease as malaria. Until now, this disease annually takes the lives of about a million people around the world. Although the greatest percentage of deaths occur in tropical countries, malaria mosquitoes are distributed throughout the world and are found even in regions where the disease is considered eradicated. In our country, this type of insect can be found throughout the European part, as well as in Western Siberia.

It is also worth understanding that the bite of this mosquito itself is not dangerous; the insect can infect a person with malaria only if he has previously drunk the blood of a patient and became infected.

A malaria mosquito bite has the following symptoms:

You can see what a malaria mosquito bite looks like in the photo:

As you can see, they are no different from a regular mosquito bite. How can you tell if it was a malaria mosquito that bit you? Unfortunately, this can be difficult; most often, a person can understand this already when malaria begins to appear. So, a malaria mosquito bite has the following symptoms:

• Convulsions.
• Enlarged spleen.
• Tingling feeling in the body.
• Joint pain.
• Chills and fever.
• Headache.
• Bloody urine.
• Anemia.
• Vomiting and nausea.
• Cerebral ischemia.

One of the first signs is fever. This symptom should not be ignored, since the disease is deadly, especially for children and pregnant women. Once in the body, malaria causes the following changes:

• Within half an hour, the parasites penetrate the liver, beginning to develop there, increasing it in size and destroying it.
• Microbes also penetrate into the blood, destroying red cells. This causes anemia and fever.
• Death usually occurs as a result of blockage of the cerebral blood vessels.