Culex
Guides
Culex restuans
White-dotted Mosquito
Culex restuans is a medium-sized brown mosquito distributed across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. It is a significant vector of West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis, serving as both an enzootic vector among birds and a potential bridge vector to mammals. Adults are occasionally called the 'white-dotted mosquito' due to two white dots sometimes present on the dorsal scutum, though these are not reliable identification characters. The species is frequently confused with Culex pipiens, requiring detailed morphological examination for accurate identification.