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23 Mosquito Species of Contra Costa County

Genus, speciesCommon NameLarval habitatBiting BehaviorTime of dayPeak SeasonFlight rangeMedical Importance
Anopheles franciscanusnoneshallow sunlit pools with algaelarge mammalsdusk and dawnsummer< 1 mileoccasional pest
Anopheles freeborniWestern malaria mosquitorice fields; clear sunlit seepages with algaelarge mammals, humansdusk and dawnsummer10 milesmalaria vector
Anopheles occidentalisnoneponds, creeks, seepageslarge mammalsdusk and dawnsummerunknownno known significance
Anopheles punctipennisWoodland malaria mosquitocool shaded grassy pools, streams, creekslarge mammals, humansdusk and dawnsummer> 1 milemalaria vector
Aedes dorsalisnoneCoastal salt marshes, inland alkaline areaslarge mammals, humansday and nightsummer, fall< 10 milesSecondary CE & WEE vector, localized pest
Aedes melanimonnoneDuck club ponds, irrigated pastures and fieldslarge mammals, humansdusk and daysummer, fall> 10 milesPrimary CE vector, secondary WEE vector, possible WNV vector, major pest
Aedes nigromaculisIrrigated pasture mosquitoIrrigated pastures and alfalfa fieldslarge mammals, humansdusk and daysummer< 20 milesLocalized pest
Aedes sierrensisWestern tree hole mosquitoTree holes, tires and other man-made containerssmall mammals, humansdusk and dayspring< 1 mileDog heartworm vector, localized pest
Aedes squamigerCalifornia salt marsh mosquitoCoastal salt marsheshumansdusk and daywinter10-20 milesLocalized pest, possible CE vector
Aedes washinoinoneRainwater poolslarge mammals, humansdusk and dayspring< 1 mileLocalized pest, possible CE vector
Aedes vexansInland floodwater mosquitoIrrigated pastures, riparian poolslarge mammals, humansday and dusksummer, fall> 10 milesLocalized pest, secondary dog heartworm vector, possible WNV vector
Culex erythrothoraxTule mosquitoPonds, lakes, marshes with tules and cattailsbirds, humansdusk and day (shaded areas)spring, summer, fall< 1 mileLocalized pest, secondary WNV vector
Culex apicalisnoneCreeks, woodland poolsbirds, reptilesunknownrareunknownno known significance
Culex bohartinoneCreeks and streamsfrogs, toadsunknownrare unknownno known significance
Culex pipiensNorthern house mosquitoPolluted water (sewer plants, abandoned pools, catch basins etc)birds, humansnightspring, summer, fall< 1 milePrimary WNV vector, secondary SLE vector, localized nuisance
Culex stigmatosomaBanded foul water mosquitoPolluted water (sewer plants, dairy sumps etc)birdsnightrare< 10 milesSecondary WNV and SLE vector
Culex tarsalisWestern encephalitis mosquitoWidespread in clear water (agricultural areas, untended swimming pools, creeks etc)birds, mammals, humansnightsummer, fall3-15 milesPrimary WNV, WEE and SLE vector
Culex territansnoneCreeks, woodland poolsreptiles, amphibiansdawn and duskrareunknownno known significance
Culex thriambusnoneRock pools, ponds, hoof printsbirdsunknown rareunknownno known significance
Culiseta incidensCool weather mosquitoWidespread in natural or manmade sourceslarge mammals, humansnightspring, summer, fall< 5 milesLocalized pest, possible secondary WNV vector
Culiseta inornataLarge winter mosquitoWidespread in natural or manmade sources, marsheslarge mammals, humansnightwinter< 5 milesLocalized pest, possible secondary WNV vector
Culiseta particepsnoneCreeks, streams, marshesunknown (probably large mammals)nightspringunknownno known significance
Orthopodomyia signiferanoneTree holesbirdsunknown rareunknownno known significance