when do female Anopheles mosquitoes bite
Last edited 12/2019 and last reviewed 10/2020
When do female Anopheles mosquitoes bite?
- biting time varies between species, so travellers should assume they are
at risk of being bitten from dusk to dawn inclusive
- biting of several major malaria vectors in Africa peaks at and just after
midnight so protection in bed is especially important
- however, in many parts of South America and South East Asia, the greatest
risk from being bitten by malaria vectors is in the evening, before the
population retires indoors
- note though - as other species of mosquito for example those which transmit yellow fever, dengue fever and other arboviral infections, bite during the daytime, it is important to maintain bite precautions during daylight hours
- however, in many parts of South America and South East Asia, the greatest
risk from being bitten by malaria vectors is in the evening, before the
population retires indoors
Reference:
- Public Health England. Guidelines for malaria prevention in travellers from the UK 2019