Pest profile

Cattail Mosquito

Coquillettidia perturbans · Diptera: Culicidae[2]

Cattail mosquito females are persistent, painful biters, and their larvae live attached to cattail roots.[1]

Cattail mosquito, a brownish mosquito with pale-banded legs, resting on a pale surface
Cattail mosquito, a brownish mosquito with pale-banded legs, resting on a pale surface. (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Larvae and pupae attach to roots of emergent plants such as cattails instead of breathing at the surface.[1]
  • It's the only Coquillettidia species in the U.S. and Canada.[1]

Where it lives

It's widespread in the eastern half of the U.S. and southern Canada, with some areas in the West.[1]

US map: public records from 23 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Eggs are laid in floating rafts near emergent plants.[1]

Adults are most active in early evening but bite by day in shady resting spots.[1]

Health risk

It's known to transmit several disease agents, and there are no human vaccines for West Nile or eastern equine encephalitis viruses.[1]

Control

Prevention

Use protective clothing and mosquito repellent outdoors.[1]

When to call a professional

Larvae resist ordinary larvicides; removing excess cattail growth is often the only effective long-term management.[1]

Common questions

Why are mosquitoes bad near my cattail pond?
Cattail mosquito larvae develop attached to cattail roots.[1]
Do larvicides work on cattail mosquitoes?
Poorly, because larvae don't breathe at the water surface.[1]

Sources

  1. University of Florida IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures), “Cattail Mosquito, Coquillettidia perturbans (Featured Creatures).” edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1192 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Coquillettidia perturbans taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/259061 (accessed 2026-10-06)

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