Western Encephalitis Mosquito vs Alpine Hover Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Western Encephalitis Mosquito | Alpine Hover Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Culex tarsalis | Sericomyia silentis |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Culicidae | Syrphidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 14-18 mm body length |
| Habitat | Wetlands | Meadows |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Western North America, from Canada to Mexico | Europe, Northern Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Western Encephalitis Mosquito
A medium-sized mosquito with a distinctive white band on the proboscis and banded legs. It is the most important vector of Western equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis in western North America. It breeds in a wide variety of sunlit and shaded water sources.
Did You Know?
Its feeding behavior shifts seasonally from birds in spring to mammals in late summer, which drives encephalitis virus spillover to humans.
Alpine Hover Fly
A large hover fly with bold yellow-and-black banding mimicking a wasp. It visits alpine flowers for nectar in mountain meadows.
Did You Know?
Its larvae are rat-tailed maggots that breathe through a snorkel-like siphon in waterlogged soil.