Pest profile

Black Salt Marsh Mosquito

Aedes taeniorhynchus · Diptera: Culicidae[2]

Black salt marsh mosquitoes emerge in large numbers after rains and floods and are known for aggressive biting.[1]

Black salt marsh mosquito female with white-banded legs feeding on human skin
Black salt marsh mosquito female with white-banded legs feeding on human skin. (c) Chris Baer, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • White bands sit at the base of the abdominal segments, with white palp tips and a ring of white scales mid-proboscis.[1]
  • Males have feathery antennae; females have only a few hairs on theirs.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Other mosquitoesThe white ring around the middle of the proboscis helps set this species apart.[1]

Where it lives

It lives in brackish coastal marshes of the Americas but flies far, and in Florida it can turn up statewide.[1]

US map: public records from 6 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Eggs are laid in moist soil above the waterline and hatch when rain or tides flood them.[1]

Larvae take 5 to 15 days and can develop in anything from fresh water to ocean water.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Females readily bite people, mostly at night, but will bite by day if their resting spots are disturbed.[1]

Health risk

It can carry eastern equine encephalitis as a bridge vector and transmits dog heartworm.[1]

Control

Prevention

Use repellents with EPA-registered active ingredients and add screened windows and doors.[1]

When to call a professional

Managing salt marsh populations is complex, combining source reduction, surveillance, larviciding and adulticiding.[1]

Common questions

Why are mosquitoes so bad after a coastal storm?
Flooding hatches black salt marsh mosquito eggs laid in moist soil, so big broods follow.[1]
Do they bite during the day?
Mostly at night, but they bite by day if disturbed from resting sites.[1]

Sources

  1. University of Florida IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures), “Black Salt Marsh Mosquito, Aedes taeniorhynchus (EENY-591).” edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1035 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Aedes taeniorhynchus taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1112134 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.