Mosquito species — what's biting you, and when
Quick answer
Not all mosquitoes are the same — and that's the whole point. Daytime Aedes, dusk-and-night Culex, nocturnal Anopheles, plus biting gnats (midges) and black flies that hunt the same way. Which ones bite you, and when, depends on your region. Here's how to tell them apart and how a CO₂ + heat trap targets each — including the one species it targets less well.
Daytime biters
Aedes — the container-breeders that bite by day, in shade, breaking the "dusk only" myth.
Dusk & night biters
Culex and Anopheles — the dusk-to-dark genera the trap’s default run window is built around.
Not a mosquito
Biting gnats (midges) and black flies — different families, but CO₂-drawn, so the trap catches them too.
When are mosquitoes most active?
"Mosquitoes only bite at dusk" is a myth — it only fits Culex. Aedes bite by day; Anopheles bite deep into the night. See the dusk myth →
| Species | Activity window |
|---|---|
| Aedes aegypti — the yellow fever mosquito | Daytime biter — bimodal, peaks early morning and late afternoon. |
| Asian tiger mosquito | Aggressive daytime biter with a sharp pre-dusk peak; bites in shade all day. |
| Culex — the house mosquito | Crepuscular-to-nocturnal — host-seeks from dusk, peaks the first hours after sunset. |
| Anopheles — the malaria mosquito | Nocturnal — host-seeks dusk through dawn, with deep-night biting. |
| Biting gnats (no-see-ums / biting midges) | Dawn and dusk, low-wind conditions; worst near water and on still evenings. |
How the CO₂ trap targets each
The trap broadcasts the CO₂ and heat cues host-seeking females follow — but responsiveness varies by species. We don't claim it kills all of them equally. Read the science →