MOSQUITOES AND CATERPILLARS 91 



never (or very rarely) suck blood. On each side of the 



beak, and arising at its base, is a pair of feelers or palpi, 



presumably organs for smelling and tasting, or which at 



least aid in determining the character of the food. These 



palpi are as long as the beak 



in the males, but less than 



half as long as in the females. 



What are the large black spots 



on the head? Make a drawing 



of a mosquito, showing and 



naming these parts. 



If some of the mosquitoes 

 are kept alive in jars filled 

 with water and covered with 

 netting the females may per- 

 haps lay eggs on the surface 

 of the water. But it is not 

 at all certain that they will; 



indeed, they seem to lay eggs FIG. 37. Beak of female mos- 

 only rarely when thus kept ^ uit0 ' dissect ed to show the 



r Tr ,. piercing needle-like parts and 



in Confinement. If a slice of their sheath; m*. /., the max- 



banana be put in the jar the illary palpi, or feelers of the 

 mosquitoes may be seen to suck mouth - ( Great 'y magnified.) 

 the sap from it, and they may be kept alive for many days 

 if given fresh banana every three or four days. If the egg- 

 laying occurs, the life-history of our mosquitoes is com- 

 pleted. A new cycle is about to begin. 



Distribution of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are distributed 

 all over the world, being found in enormous numbers in 

 arctic regions and on high moutain ranges as well as in 

 the tropics, and in swamps and marshy valleys. About 

 four hundred and fifty species, or different kinds, of mos- 

 quitoes are known, nearly seventy of which are found in 

 North America. Besides the irritation caused by their 

 "bite," i.e., piercing with the sucking beak, it has been 



