Mosquitoes are classified in their own family within the large order of flies, so they are officially true flies. Crane-flies, gnats and midges are true flies too.

Their two wings distinguish them from large and small bees, ants and wasps, which all have four wings. Like all flies, mosquitoes grow in four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.

Mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycle, but most flies do not. Female mosquitoes can beat their wings 300 or more times a second, producing the familiar high-pitched buzz.

There are more known fly species in the world than vertebrate species.