Genus Culex. 
117 
105. Culex hortensis. Ficalbi. 
(Bull. Soc. Ent. Ital. p. 292 (1899).) 
“Thorax mouse-coloured, tending to yellowish; pleurae bluish-white. 
Abdomen banded black and white, the white forming narrow bands at the 
hinder borders of the segments; venter white, with a black spot on 
either side of the segments. Antennae almost black in both sexes, with 
a ring of light blue scales on the basal joint; proboscis blue-black, paler 
at the apex; palpi pointed in the 6, blue-black, longer than the 
Fig 206. 
a, b, c = male, and d = female ungues 
of Culex hortensis (after Ficalbi). 
Fig. 207. 
Male genitalia of C. hor¬ 
tensis (after Ficalbi). 
proboscis, similar coloured in the $ , in both is a median pale band. 
Legs blue-black, except the bases and venter of the femora, a distinct 
white knee spot and an apical white ring to the tibiae. Wings blackish, 
the branches of the fork-cells much longer than the stems ; halteres pale. 
Length .—5 to 6 mm. in d ; 8 mm. in $ . 
Habitat. —Italy.” 
Observations .—Found by Ficalbi in many parts of Italy. 
Ficalbi thinks that it lives on the juices of plants entirely, 
and does not touch animals or man. It seems to be a sylvan 
species, never occurring in houses. 
