Mosquitoes have been around for over 30 million years and come in more than 3,500 species. They are small flies in the Culicidae family that feed on nectar and plant juices, but female mosquitoes require blood meals from humans and animals to develop their eggs. Mosquito-borne diseases infect millions of people annually. The adult female mosquito lays eggs in standing water, which hatch into larvae and develop through pupa and adult stages. Mosquitoes are attracted to humans by the carbon dioxide, lactic acid, heat and contrasting colors we emit and can transmit viruses and parasites that cause deadly illnesses like malaria and dengue fever.