The possibility of the transovarial transmission of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus by the mosquito Culiseta melanura as an overwintering mechanism was investigated in the field and laboratory. Adult female Cs. melanura were infected with EEE virus and allowed to oviposit. These mosquitoes were then offered uninfected blood. Eggs from each of the ovarian cycles were allowed to hatch and the larvae reared to adults or pooled in the 3rd or 4th larval stage. No virus was recovered from any F1 progeny. Larvae of Cs. melanura were collected during the fall and winter months of 1977 and 1978 at the Pocomoke Cypress Swamp in Worcester Co., Maryland. Third and 4th stage larvae were pooled and assayed for EEE virus. Virus was not isolated from the 2,503 larvae processed. It was concluded that if transovarial transmission of EEE virus is occurring in Cs. melanura, it is at a rate of less than 1/2500. This would be such an exceedingly rare event as to have little or no bearing on the overwintering of this virus.