AQUATIC INSECTS IX NEW YORK STATE 411 



Length 9 or 10 mm; cell 2(1 K only a little longer than M [pl.42, 

 fig.8]. Thorax striped; body brown; legs yellow, with dark 

 brown or blacli erect scales. United States, widely dis- 

 tributrd. Wiedemann, Aussereur. Zweifliig. 1S2S. 1:13.... 



e i 1 i a t a Fabricius 



The life history of P. c i 1 i a t a is given by Howard iii the 

 €anadiaii Entomologist for 1900 and also in his work on mos- 

 quitos. Of the larva he says, '' from Culex it differs in having 

 a longer breathing tube, longer and more pointed blood gills, 

 and the hair fringe on the under side of the anal segment much 

 longer and denser. The jaws are sharply toothed and very 

 long.'' From the figure it appears also that the mouth brushes 

 project laterally and not forward as in Culex. Figures are 

 ^iven in both of the papers of Howard, mentioned above. 



Genus culex Linne 



The species of this genus are the ordinary mosquitois. In most 

 respects they are like the species of the genus Anopheles, but 

 differ from them in that the male alone possesses the elongate 

 I)alpi, in the fcuuile thesi^ are very short; the mesothorax is more 

 arched and more nearly vertical in front; and the hypopygium 

 of the male is quite conspicuous, whereas with Anopheles it is 

 snuiU and inconspicuous. In other respects, including the biting 

 habits of the female, just like Anopheles. 



It may be added, that in all species of Culex examined it was 

 found that the fourth tarsal joint of the fore leg in the male is 

 only about as long as it is broad; and that the last joint of the 

 paljius is pointed. The wing venation also ai)pears to present 

 differences from Anopheles, in that the spur at the base of 

 K.4+-, is usually wanting in Culex. 



Larva. The larvae are usually" known as wrigglers, and char- 

 acterized by their rapid wriggling movements, their wormlike 

 bodies and disproportionately large heads with a pair of prom- 

 inent eyes, an enlarged thorax, and their possessing on the 

 dorsal surface of the eighth segment an elongate breathing tube. 

 The eggs of some species are laid on the surface of the 

 pond or pool in an oblong mass or boat, which in 

 the warmer spring or summer weather hatches within 

 a day or less. The small transparent larvae are 

 extremely active from birth. They come to the surface to 

 breathe, the elongate breathing tube of the last segment l)eing 

 in contact with the surface film, the cephalic end hanging 

 obliquely downward, ^^'hen disturbed the larva descends to the 



