Nuisance-species
Guides
Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus
black salt marsh mosquito
Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus, commonly known as the black salt marsh mosquito, is a floodwater mosquito species native to coastal and salt marsh habitats across the Americas. It is a significant nuisance species and disease vector, known to transmit Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) and susceptible to Everglades virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. The species has been observed expanding its range and increasing in abundance following extreme weather events such as hurricanes and flooding. Laboratory studies indicate it readily feeds on both pork and cow blood through artificial membranes, with feeding preferences varying by population.
Smicridea fasciatella
net-spinning caddisfly
Smicridea fasciatella is a net-spinning caddisfly in the family Hydropsychidae. It is the primary species responsible for nuisance swarming events along the Colorado River in Bullhead City, Arizona, where synchronized mass emergence of adults creates significant quality-of-life impacts for residents. The species belongs to the fasciatella species group, which occurs across the Americas from the southwestern United States through Central America and South America. Like other hydropsychid caddisflies, its larvae are aquatic filter-feeders that construct capture nets to obtain food from flowing water.