14 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



I do not think this is the case. I believe that it is more prob- 

 able that the mites attach themselves to the mosquitoes when 

 the latter are in the larval or pupal stage, perhaps both. I 

 once found three larvas of Culex abominator all having mites 

 upon them. These mites were of the typical red color, whereas 

 those found upon adult Culex abominator are invariably 

 bluish green. This difference in color is, I believe, to be ex- 

 plained by the fact that the larvae of this mosquito are not 

 green, even when found among vegetation of that color until 

 nearly full grown, after which, like the larvae and pupae of 

 Anopheles quadrimaculatus , they may be bright grass-green. 



These mites lived for several days on the larvae, but when re- 

 moved from them and placed in water, they soon sank to the 

 bottom and died. 



It is possible that the bluish-green mite of Culex abomina- 

 tor is a different species, for I have never found them of this 

 color on Anopheles quadrimaculatus: yet under similar cir- 

 cumstances the larvae, pupae, and freshly emerged adults of 

 this mosquito are also bright green. 



It is certainly very probable that this mite destroys quite 

 a good many mosquitoes, and it is unfortunate that they do 

 not extend their operations throughout the season instead of 

 only the early part. 



A good many species seem to be for the most part never 

 or only very rarely attacked at all. 



MOSQUITOES AND FISH. 



Personally I do not think that mosquitoes crer breed in the 

 presence of fish if the water is open, allowing the fish free ac- 

 cess to the larvae, yet it is a matter of common observation 

 that under certain favorable circumstances some species do 

 breed regularly in streams where fish are abundant. Yet even 

 where conditions are favorable only a very few species seem 

 to take advantage of it. vSo far as my own observations go, 

 the only mosquitoes that regularly do so in this locality are 

 Anopheles quadrimaculatus and Culex abominator. Condi- 

 tions are favorable where the surface of the water becomes 

 carpeted with aquatic vegetation, which restrains the fish in 

 their movements, yet allows ample room and protection for 

 the larvae of the above-named species. There is a certain 

 deep, slowly running bayou here that is the main breeding 

 place for quadrimaculatus and abominator at present, while 

 two years ago not a larva could be found there at all. The 

 explanation is simple and may be given as a typical example 

 of its kind. Two years ago launches passed through this 

 bayou daily, and all logs and drift were removed as soon as 



