White-footed Mosquito (Female) - Psorophora ferox
Total length: ~6 mm. The legs, wings, and abdominal segments have purple iridescent scales. Tarsal segments 4 and 5 are entirely pale scaled. These mosquitoes prefer mammalian blood.
"Ferox" means: fierce, wild, bold, courageous, warlike, spirited, etc. It is definitely an appropriate name for this species as they inflict a very painful bite and they are so aggressive.
Female Psorophora ferox frequently bite people. Numerous viruses have been isolated from Psorophora ferox. However, the sylvatic nature of this species likely prevents it from being a major vector in transmitting pathogens to humans.
I found this mosquito sitting next to me on a chair on my deck. I was shocked to see it resting there! They usually attack fairly quickly, but this female was gravid, so she must have been sated for the moment.
Sorry for the horrendous video quality, but I wanted to show how these mosquitoes walk - with lifting their hind legs:
"Psorophora ferox" is a medium-sized mosquito native to much of North and South America. It inhabits wet woodlands, laying its eggs in temporary pools filled with rainwater. Larvae develop during summer in North America. They are aggressive feeders and give painful bites. The mosquito is reported to be active during both day and night.
