40 MISC. PUBLICATION 336, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
southeastern species of Culex may then be placed in three subgenera 
as follows: (Culex) quinquefasciatus, pipiens, restuans, salinarius, 
nigripalpus, tarsalis, and bahamensis; (Neoculex) apicalis; (Melano- 
conion) erraticus, peccator, and pilosus. 
Adult specimens of MWelanoconion are of less than medium size 
and are distinguished superficially from the other subgenera by the 
wider wing scales (more noticeably on the branches of vein 2) and 
by the presence of flat, dusky, or pale scales on the occiput. In er- 
raticus the latter character is often obscure, and the examination 
should be made at fairly high magnifications and with good lighting. 
These scales should not be confused with the patch of broad white 
scales at the side of the head, which is present in the other subgenera 
as well. 
CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS Say 
(Syn., CO. fatigans Wied., C. pungens Wied., etc. ; the southern house mosquito, or 
house Culex) 
The southern house mosquito breeds in water barrels and other 
artificial containers, in street gutters and catch basins, and also in 
ground pools if the water is polluted. It is one of the domestic 
mosquitoes and is generally the most abundant night-biting house 
mosquito in the cities and towns of the Southern States. In the 
North it is replaced by its very near relative Culex pipiens, and the 
range of the two overlaps in Virginia, northeastern Tennessee, North 
Carolina, and other intermediate States. The name fatigans has 
been retained for this species by the European workers and is in use 
in most of the Old World countries. Methods employed in the 
abatement of the domestic mosquitoes are discussed under Mosquito 
Control (p. 13). 
Females are distinguished from those of other southern Culex, in 
which the proboscis and tarsi are unmarked, by the conspicuous white 
»xbdominal bands, rounded on the posterior borders and interrupted 
or much narrowed at the lateral margins. ‘The mesonotum is grayish, 
with narrow lanceolate scales. 
CULEX PIPIENS L. 
(The northern house mosquito) 
This is the common house mosquito throughout the Northern 
States. In recent years the species has been recorded from Carey- 
ville and Concord, Tenn. (736), Smithfield, N. C. (D. F. Ashton, 
1937), and Lake Lure, N. C. (record from Alan Stone). A reported 
occurrence of pipiens in New Orleans (75) is not given consideration, 
as the identification was undoubtedly incorrect. 
The habits and general appearance of Culex pipzens are similar to 
those of C. quinquefasciatus, and in areas where the two species over- 
lap identifications should be made by examination of the male 
terminalia. Even then the determination is often difficult for imdi- 
vidual specimens. Females may be identified provisionally by the 
characters given in the key to species. 
