Numbers
27 spp. in in 4 subgenera our area
(1), ca. 770 spp. in 26 subgenera worldwide
(2)Identification
Adult: Tip of abdomen blunt, no pre- or post-spiracular setae
Range
worldwide and throughout NA
(2)Habitat
Larvae of various species develop in standing water of ponds and marshes, snowmelt pools, empty barrels, used tires, bird baths, tin cans etc. (specific larval habitat varies according to species)
Season
adults found year round, even in northern latitudes (BG data)
Food
Cx. nigripalpus, Cx. pipiens, Cx. tarsalis all shift (at least regionally) from feeding primarily on birds in spring to an increasing fraction from mammals in later summer
(3)(4) Life Cycle
Multiple generations per year; eggs are laid in "rafts" on surface of standing water;
overwinters as a fertilized adult female in sheltered areas
(5)Remarks
Some species are vectors of organisms that cause diseases such as West Nile Virus, eastern equine encephalitis, and dog heartworm disease
Print References
Savage H., Miller B. (1995) House mosquitoes of the U.S.A., Culex pipiens complex. Wing Beats 6(2): 8-9.
