Mount Gravatt Environment Group

By: Michael Fox

Our Koala Drinker research has identified more than birds and Lace Monitors.

It is mosquito season so we regularly check the drinkers for mossie larva. Something we were not expecting was finding mossie larvae that feed on other mossies and not people. Adult Toxorhynchites speciosus feed on plant juices not blood.

Toxorhynchites speciosus larvae are huge, approx 25mm, by comparison with common mossie larvae like Brown House Mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus approx 8mm.

Check before you flush the mossie larvae in your birdbath. If you have some Toxorhynchites speciosus larvae perhaps scoop them out ready to return once your birdbath is refilled. Remember to also catch some of the small larvae to feed the mossie eating Toxorhynchites speciosus.