71 6 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



known as wrigglers, live in water, and can develop in water only; but 

 the conditions under which the different species live vary greatly. Not 

 all the mosquitoes bite human beings and only a few of them follow him 

 into his habitation, so that the majority of species are indifferent to the 

 great bulk of mankind. But some species are either almost unbearable 

 pests, rendering large areas almost uninhabitable, or are actual carriers 

 of disease organisms. Destructive methods for the pestiferous species 

 are now well understood, and the day of their control is almost at hand. 



ANOPHELES Meig. 



The members of this genus are intermediate hosts for the organism 

 causing malaria in man, though of the species occurring in New Jersey 

 only one — "quadrimaculatus" — has been actually convicted of that offense. 

 The adults may be known by their method of holding the body at a nearly 

 right angle to the plane of the surface upon which they are at rest. The 

 eggs are laid singly on the surface of the water and the larvse float on 

 the surface, parallel with it. They inhabit pools of ground-water, the 

 edges of overgrown swamps or ponds, the quiet eddies of sluggish 

 streams and sometimes even lot-pools, pails, buckets or other receptacles 

 containing stagnant water. They are not so abundant in sewage water. 

 The adults winter in barns, cellars, hollow trees and similar sheltered 

 places, only the females living over. 



A. punctipennis Say. Occurs throughout the State, but more commonly 

 in the southern portions. Larvse may be found from May to Novem- 

 ber; but are usually rare until after midsummer; after mid-Septem- 

 ber only stragglers remain. Breeds in almost any waters except on 

 salt marshes. 

 A. quadrimaculatus Say — maculipennis of American authors. This is the 

 species that has been convicted of transmitting malaria. It occurs 

 throughout the State, but is rather more common in the northern 

 counties. The general habits are like those of the preceding, but 

 the larvae occur also In more shaded areas, and occasionally in the 

 brackish waters of the salt marshes. 

 A. crucians Wied. Occurs chiefly along the coast line from Elizabeth to 

 Cape May, more common southwardly, and the larvae breed chiefly 

 on the salt marsh or on swampy areas not far inland. The species 

 does not become obvious until mid-summer and remains until late 

 fall. The inland points at which single examples have been taken 

 are Manumuskin X, 21 (Dke), Delair (Seal) and Lahaway X, 8 

 (Brakeley). 

 A. barber! Coq. Bordentown VIII, 14, 16, adults (Brakeley) ; Chester 

 IX, 6-11 larvas (Dn). This species breeds exclusively in the water in 

 tree holes and never gets far away from its breeding grounds. 



PSOROPHORA Desv. 



P, ciliata Fabr. Local throughout the State and rarely common as an 

 adult. This is oui' largest species and lays its eggs in depressed 



