Species Culex quinquefasciatus - Southern House Mosquito

Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823

The taxonomic status of the members of the Culex pipiens (Cx. pipiens) complex is controversial.

Cx. pipiens, Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. molestus are the most common and widespread of the members of the complex. - UF

27 spp. n. of Mex. (1)

3.96-4.25 mm length - UF

The distinguishing features of the Culex mosquitoes are: cross veins on narrow wings, blunt abdomen, short palpus, and no prespiracular or postspiracular setae (CDC 2005).

Female: Medium-sized mosquito of brownish appearance; proboscis dark but often with some pale scaling midway on the underside; scutum with golden and bronzy narrow scales; wings all dark scaled; hind legs with femur pale almost to the tip except for dark scales along length dorsally, remainder of legs all dark scaled except for pale patch at tibial-tarsal joint; abdominal tergites dark scaled with pale basal bands constricted laterally and not merging with lateral patches except perhaps on terminal segments, sternites generally pale scaled but with a few to more dark scales scattered medially

Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory (2)

CA-FL-DC-UT / Mex. (3)

Oviposition occurs in waters ranging from waste water areas to bird baths, old tires, or any container that holds water. - UF

Adults are generally active only during the warmer months.

They usually attack humans towards the middle of the night indoors and outdoors, but are often more attracted to birds (e.g. poultry).

The larvae feed on biotic material in the water and require between five to eight days to complete their development at 30°C - UF

A major domestic pest in many urban areas, particularly as indicated by indoor biting (although the similar Cx. molestus must be considered in some southern areas); it has been shown to be able to carry Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus in laboratory studies, MVE virus has been isolated from the species in northern WA, it has yielded an isolate of Ross River (RR) virus during an outbreak in New Caledonia, but from a number of laboratory studies in Australia it appears to be a poor and unlikely vector of MVE, Kunjin, RR and other arboviruses; it is a vector (not particularly efficient) of dog heartworm (and human filariasis in more northern tropical regions), an important vector of fowl pox, and possibly involved in myxomatosis transmission in some areas.

a primary vector in 2012 West Nile encephalitis epidemic in Dallas, Texas. (4)

Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory - FMEL (2)

Featured Creatures - Stephanie Hill and Roxanne Connelly, University of Florida, 2013