The Culicinae are the most extensive subfamily of mosquitoes (Culicidae) and have species in every continent except Antarctica, but are highly concentrated in tropical areas.

They are holometabolous insects, and most species lay their eggs in stagnant water, to benefit their aquatic larval stage.

The mosquitoes also have long, slender, legs and proboscis-style mouth parts for feeding on vertebrate blood or plant fluids.

Culicinae mosquitoes are holometabolous, going through four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

All Psorophora and some Aedes species oviposit on soil where the eggs remain, unhatched, till flooded.

Many species associate closely with humans, using accumulated ground water in developed areas for oviposition.

Oviposition on the surface of stagnant water is most common, but some species of Aedes and all Psorophora deposit their eggs in areas that will flood.

Culicinae larvae are adapted to almost every aquatic environment worldwide, excepting flowing streams and open areas of large water masses.

Larvae eat small aquatic organisms and plant material in the water using brush-style and grinding mouth parts.

The first body region, the head, holds the large compound eyes, proboscis-style mouth parts, and plumose antennae.

The lifespan of adult Culicinae can vary greatly based on environment, predation, and pest control.

The anesthetic reduces pain so the host does not detect the bite, and the anticoagulant prevents blood from clotting so they can continue to feed.

Pathogenic organisms contained in the saliva injection by the female mosquitoes can quickly spread diseases.

Aedeomyiini Aedini Culicini Culisetini Ficalbiini Hodgesiini Mansoniini Orthopodomyiini Sabethini Toxorhynchitini Uranotaeniini