Culiseta, a feminine diminutive of the masculine Culex (ancient Romans did not sex their mosquitoes) was used to separate the species we now know as impatiens from the genus Culex. The name, Theobaldia, was used by several authors until it was found to be invalid having already been used for a genus of Molluscs.
Culiseta females have short palps and a trilobed scutellum and the blunt abdomen resembles that of Anopheles, Culex and Mansonia. Some of our species have patches of dark scales on the wings similar to those of anophelines. Dubious specimens will have to be examined for the presence of prespiracular and absence of postspircular setae.
The single pair of branched setae (1-S) at the base of the siphon characterizes larvae of this genus.
The pupae are difficult to distinguish with certainty from those of other genera. Most collectors will keep them until the adults emerge.
Most Culiseta species in our Province lay their eggs in rafts on water surfaces. Cs. morsitans, however, lays egg rafts on vegetation at the margin of its breeding sites. If the eggs are washed down into the water some may hatch and larvae may overwinter in the benthic debris. If not washed down, the eggs probably overwinter and hatch like those of aedines when flooded in the spring. Most Culiseta species overwinter as fertilized, and probably blood-fed, females and at least some species can produce several generations each year.
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