A **!!#%! Mosquito! - Culex tarsalis

NICE

you have a Culex tarsalis. She is the main vector of Western Encephalitis. Looks like she is about to make some more mosquitos

… Omar Fahmy, 19 October, 2006 - 10:53pm

Thanks!

Thanks much, Omar. That was a fast reply!

… Ed Johnson, 19 October, 2006 - 10:57pm

And Omar,

Western Encephalitis is strictly an equine disease, no?

....Ed....

… Ed Johnson, 19 October, 2006 - 11:03pm

No it is also a human disease.

if the encephalitis happens humans may get coma or even death, just like EEE

… Omar Fahmy, 19 October, 2006 - 11:19pm

Darn!

I shoulda squished her!

… Ed Johnson, 19 October, 2006 - 11:24pm

after you photograph them

you should proably, kill all mosquitos you encounter.

… Omar Fahmy, 19 October, 2006 - 11:29pm

All of them?

If you succeded at killing all mosquitos, most river fish would go hungry, including trout, and who knows how many birds, etc. would suffer too. Perhaps, even alligators depend indirectly on mosquitos for food.

… Beatriz Moisset, 20 October, 2006 - 5:44pm

i doubt

that by squashing the ones you find you would affect the population that much. also all mosquitos except for a few Anopheles and Aedes never lay their eggs in moving water (eg rivers) just temporary pools, so fish would be alright

… Omar Fahmy, 22 October, 2006 - 6:28pm

...

Nice shot!
They are also vectors of SLE and WNV!
Then again, in most cases you would have to squish about 50-100000 such mosquitoes to get one carrying virus.

… Sean McCann, 20 October, 2006 - 5:03am

nice ain't it?

or you could just be very unlucky and that could be the one carrying the virus, ha

… Omar Fahmy, 20 October, 2006 - 7:37am