Lone individual found clinging to underside of sump well cover in my unfinished basement. Mosquito biologist Brendan Dunphy of the Iowa State University Entomology Department kindly examined my photos and commented that although distinction between Culex pipiens, C. quinquefasciatus, and C. restuans cannot be made from these photos, it is certainly one of the three (which can be grouped into the "Culex pipiens group" because of the absolute difficulty in distinguishing specimens morphologically). Based on geographic range, C. quinquefasciatus might be discarded because of the southerly range of this species (southern U.S. and peaking up into southern Iowa) and because of its lack of abundance relative to C. pipiens. Thus it may be C. pipiens or C. restuans; distinquishing between these two species requires a pristine specimen.

Dorsal view.