Which statement about Culiseta melanura is true?

• A. Primary vector for EEE.
• B. Transient water group species.
• C. Usually do not bite humans.
• D. Found only in deserts.

Answer: (A)

Culiseta melanura is best understood as the primary enzootic vector for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) because it plays the main role in maintaining the virus within bird populations in swampy, permanent-water habitats. This species feeds predominantly on birds, which sustains the viral cycle in nature, making it the key mosquito associated with EEE transmission in surveillance and control contexts. It is not a transient-water breeder; its larvae develop in more stable wet habitats like swamps rather than ephemeral pools. It also does bite humans, but that is not its primary behavior, so saying it usually does not bite humans isn’t accurate. It is not restricted to deserts, either.