230 American Midland Naturalist Monograph No. 3 



on segments I to V variable, usually double or triple. Comb of eighth segment 

 of 7 to 12 thorn-shaped scales in a single curved row; individual scale with a 

 strong apical spine and several shorter stout thorn-like lateral spines. Siphon 

 about twice as long as wide; pecten of numerous more or less evenly spaced 

 teeth reaching middle of siphon; suhventral tuft about 3-branched, inserted 

 beyond pecten. Anal segment about as long as wide, almost ringed by the 

 dorsal plate; lateral hair single or double; dorsal brush consisting of a long 

 lower caudal hair and a 2 to 4-branched upper caudal tuft on either side; 

 ventral brush composed of about 7 to 10 long double hairs arising posterior to 

 the dorsal plate; gills 4, each more than twice as long as the anal segment, 

 broad, bluntly rounded at tip. 



distribution. — Occurs throughout most of the tropical and subtropical 

 regions of the world. Southern States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, 

 Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi (52); Missouri (1); North Carolina 

 (166); South Carolina and Tennessee (52); Virginia (49). Other States: 

 District of Columbia (52); Indiana (76); New Mexico (9); Oklahoma 

 (159); Texas (108). 



BIONOMICS. — This species is frequently abundant and troublesome in dwell- 

 ings or near human habitations, especially in towns and cities. It is closely asso- 

 ciated with man and seems to prefer the blood of man over that of animals. 

 The females are quite wary and more commonly bite around the ankles; they 

 may even crawl under clothing to reach a favorable spot. Feeding takes place 

 mostly during daylight hours or under bright lights at night. The adults are 

 frequently found resting inside houses in clothes closets, in cupboards, behind 

 pictures, underneath beds, and in other similar places. Specimens are rarely 

 taken in light trap collections but are frequently found in diurnal resting 

 shelters. They remain near human habitations and probably do not fly more 

 than a few hundred feet from their breeding places. 



The eggs are deposited almost exclusively in artificial containers around 

 dwellings, either just above the water level or on the surface of the water. The 

 species is able to pass the winter in the egg stage, but breeding may be continu- 

 ous throughout the year in the extreme southern United States. It frequently 

 breeds during the winter months in heated buildings throughout most of its 

 range. 



medical importance. — Aedes aegypti is an important vector of yellow 

 fever and dengue. Control of this species requires frequent inspections of 

 premises and the elimination or screening of water containers in which breeding 

 may occur. 



Aedes (Aedimorphus) vexans (Meigen) 



Culex vexans Meigen, 1830, Sysl. Beschr. Zweifl. Ins., 6:241. 



ADULT FEMALES. — Medium sized species. Head: Proboscis dark scaled; 

 palpus short, dark, with fourth segment bearing a few white scales at base and 

 tip. Broad dorsal region of occiput clothed with narrow pale yellow to golden- 

 brown scales and numerous dark and pale erect forked scales; lateral region of 

 occiput covered with broad whitish or pale-yellow scales adjacent to a dark- 



