Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito larvae on the underside of the water's surface. To reach its maximum size of 8 to 12 millimetres, this larva has to moult three times. It breathes atmospheric air on the surface via a 'snorkel' present at the end of the abdomen. Mosquito larvae usually feed on microscopic plankton and decomposing organic matter. C. quinquefasciatus is a vector for several disease-causing arboviruses. These include West Nile Virus (WNV), Zika virus and several encephalitis viruses.