Culex pipiens - Culex pipiens

An insect belonging to the order Diptera, suborder Proceratopsis, family Culicidae. It is found in areas from Hokkaido to Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and is most commonly seen around residential areas. It is a medium-sized mosquito with a body length of about 5.5 mm and a reddish-brown color. Females suck blood and are active at night. The larvae (mosquito larvae) prefer to develop in rotten puddles such as gutters, irrigation canals, and fertilizer ponds. A similar species to this species is the tropical house mosquito C. pipiens quinquefasciatus , which is found in subtropical and tropical areas around the world, including the Ogasawara Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Amami Islands.

[Hiroshi Kurahashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱双翅(そうし)目長角亜目カ科に属する昆虫。北海道から本州、四国、九州に分布し、民家の周辺にもっとも普通にみられる。体長5.5ミリメートル内外の中形のカで、体色は赤褐色。雌は吸血性で、夜間に活動する。幼虫（ボウフラ）は、どぶ、用水、肥料溜(だめ)など腐敗した水たまりに好んで発生する。本種の近似種にネッタイイエカC. pipiens quinquefasciatusがあり、これは小笠原(おがさわら)諸島、琉球(りゅうきゅう)諸島、奄美(あまみ)諸島を含む全世界の亜熱帯と熱帯に分布する。

［倉橋　弘］

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