Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) lateral view

This image depicts a close-up, left lateral view of an Aedes albopictus mosquito, which had landed on the photographer, and was pictured, as she was in the process of inserting her needle-sharp proboscis through the host’s skin surface, in search of a blood-filled arteriole. Under successful experimental transmission, A. albopictus has been found to be a vector of West Nile Virus.