Culex tarsalis

Culex tarsalis, also known as Western Encephalitis Mosquito,^[1] is a mosquito species that appears across North America. The species has black and white banding on the legs.

Culex tarsalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Culicidae
Genus:	Culex
Species:	C. tarsalis
Binomial name
Culex tarsalis Coquillett, 1896

The species is a major vector of Saint Louis encephalitis and Western equine encephalitis virus in the western USA.^[2] It is also a confirmed vector of West Nile virus.^[3][4][5]

In California urban environments, the abundance of Culex tarsalis increases following rainfall, and it has been identified as a potential vector not only for zoonotic viruses but also for avian malaria parasites, particularly Plasmodium species that infect wild birds.^[6]