Culex & Aedes Behave Almost the Opposite of Each Other

Did the WHO, CDC, and Public Health Agency of Canada Forget to Tell Us?

Culex vs. Aedes and Best Mosquito and Tick Bed Net on Amazon
Credit: MOSQUITOES: Katja Schulz on flickr (CC-by-2.0) | Right image: USDA on flickr photo by Stephen Ausmus (CC-by-2.0)

It's Willful Negligence, If You Ask Me

The Best Solution Is to Not Get Bitten by a Mosquito or Tick

Since public health authorities in North America fail to warn the public that six research teams found overnight-active Culex spp. to be vectors of Zika — most recently, in Florida[1] — I felt compelled to tell you all about a mosquito (and tick) bed net that would help protect you, your children, and even your pet(s).

What You Need to Know About Culex, Ticks & Wolbachia 

1) Most Culex spp. are larger, hardier and about 20 times more prevalent than Aedes. 

2) Culex are more camouflaged, usually dull grey or brown (not black-and-white), so they are harder to spot.

3) All Culex spp. remained vagile [move freely] throughout winter.[2]

4) The majority of feeding took place in the dark for all populations, which is consistent with studies of other Culex species ... neither the presence of CO2, nor the availability of a non-preferred blood type influenced peak feeding times.[3]

5) Culex tend to take bloodmeals from birds early in the year (spring) and switch to humans July to November in North America. They can be active all year, though (depending on the region).

6) Also from my paper, Birds as Reservoir Hosts of Zika: What You Are Not Being Told: 

Infected female mosquitoes can also transmit pathogens to their eggs (transovarian transmission), which survive through winter and then hatch into infected pupa which mature into infected adults. Infected ticks can also overwinter and transmit pathogens the same way.

7) Wolbachia strains horizontally transfer between unrelated host organisms over evo­lutionary time ... Wolbachia infections were highly prevalent infecting all Cx. pipiens populations.[4]

8) Wolbachia has been identified in mosquito eggs, larvae, and pupae ... circulate widely in mosquitoes in nature and may be maintained in mosquitoes through both transstadial and transovarial transmission. Mosquitoes may have played an important role in the transmission and evolution of Rickettsiales (Wolbachia) in nature.[5]

9) Wolbachia pipientis can be grown in human lung cells at normal body temperature (37 degrees C / 98.6 degrees F). This was known in 2003. 

10) Wolbachia has been shown to infect a human without the nematode [worm] which points to direct mosquito-to-human transmission.

11) Wolbachia is a bacteria and reproductive parasite that can survive at least a week in a dead host with no decrease in viability.

Related Posts About the Dangers of Wolbachia infections (Rickettsioses)

Dr. Francis M. Jiggins: You Asked, "How Does Wolbachia Do What It Does?"

Is it Group A Strep or Wolbachia (Rickettsial Bacteria)?

FACT: You Cannot Detect (or Protect Yourself) While Asleep

FALSE: "It's only the daytime-active Aedes that I have to worry about."

That "daytime-active" mantra along with millions of photos of the black-and-white Aedes mosquito makes me cringe.
 
Why? Because it's a dangerous half-truth that the public has been told by mainstream media and others.
 
Your child, pets, or you will not detect the nocturnal Culex spp. that bloodfeed from you during the night. Some of these are also highly competent vectors of encephalitis viruses (which includes West Nile and Zika) as well as rickettsioses. 
 
After an exhaustive search, I found one mosquito net on Amazon that has me impressed. My reasons are as follows:
 
1) It has a FULL mesh bottom, providing complete protection from ticks and mosquitoes.
2) It's suitable for outdoor use (even small pets).
3) The net has the smallest holes (which keeps out more than just flying insects and ticks). It's about 32 holes cm².
 
A reviewer named Mom of Great Kids also confimed that "most screens are 225 holes in². I've seen a few as high as 285in²."

New Portable Folding Mosquito Net Tent Freestand Bed

Pop Up Frame, Zippered Opening, Full Mesh Bottom, Range of Sizes

New Portable Folding Mosquito Net Tent Freestand Bed 1/2 Openings
Amazon Price: Buy Now
(price as of Jul 7, 2018)
This mosquito/tick net is 100% polyester mesh. The holes are the tiniest I could find and it has a full mesh bottom (which I highly recommend). It's appropriate for home, hotel, travel, or outdoor use. Includes a handy storage bag and English manual. It folds flat; measures about 23 - 25 inches in diameter. NB: Watch the video by Disney World Mommy on Amazon under Related Video Shorts (it's extremely helpful).

New Portable Folding Mosquito Net Tent Freestand Bed

Additional Images I Found Helpful of This Insect Net on Amazon.com

New Portable Folding Mosquito Net Tent Freestand Bed on Amazon
Credit: All images: Amazon.com (Rose is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program)