Western encephalitis mosquito
Culex tarsalis
The western encephalitis mosquito is a mosquito from North America with black and white stripes on its legs. Like other mosquitoes, the females drink blood. It is important because it can carry germs that make people, horses and birds ill.
Lives in
Across North America, also in towns and cities
Can it hurt you?
Dangerous: look, do not touch
Its bite can pass on germs, such as West Nile virus, that can make people very ill. Look, do not touch, and tell a grown-up if you are bitten a lot. Insect spray and long sleeves help.
What does it eat?
The females drink blood from people and animals, including birds. Like other mosquitoes, the males only sip sweet plant juices.
How fast is it?
A tortoise about 0.3 km/h (0.19 mph)
Western encephalitis mosquito about 2 km/h (1.2 mph)
A person walking about 5 km/h (3.1 mph)
A kid running fast about 13 km/h (8.1 mph)
cool stuff
Fun facts
1
You can spot it by the black and white bands on its legs.
2
It is one of the main carriers of two serious brain illnesses in the western United States, and it can also carry West Nile virus.
3
In California cities there are more of these mosquitoes after it rains.
4
It can also carry bird malaria, an illness that makes wild birds sick.
you asked
Most asked questions about Western encephalitis mosquito
?Where does the western encephalitis mosquito live?
Across North America, including in towns and cities.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Culex tarsalis
- Group
- Flies and mosquitoes
- Family
- Culicidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Diptera > Culicidae
- Lives on
- North America
Where the facts come from
- Culex tarsalis (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Davefoc. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. The sticker of this bug is drawn from this picture.
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