72 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 52 



slender, and moniliform. with yellow head, short tube, and long anal 

 appendages ; they hang perpendicularly from the surface of the 

 water when breathing, but can remain very long under water and 

 burrow down into the sediment on the bottom when disturbed : they 

 are thus easily overlooked. 



WYEOMYIA ADELPHA Dyar and Knab 



Bred from Tillaiidsia on a calabash tree near the railroad station 

 in Tabernilla. 



The mosquitoes of this genus are small sombre-colored insects, 

 with silvery-white bellies, and generally escape detection, though 

 they are very persistent* biters during the daytime. 



While nothing is known about this group of mosquitoes as possible 

 carriers of disease, they are, on account of this day-biting habit, to 

 be reckoned with as a nuisance and consequent detriment to humor 

 and health, and it might be well worth while for the Sanitary De- 

 partment to direct their efforts against them. The oiling and drain- 

 ing of surface water does not affect this group at all. Trees infested 

 with plant parasites, as Agazr and Tillaiidsia, should not be per- 

 mitted in the immedite neighborhood of residences or working dis- 

 tricts, or, if they are desired for shade, should be cleared of the 

 water-bearing growth. The single small tree, now cut down, from 

 which the present species was bred, contained about a hundred speci- 

 mens of epiphytic plants, and the resulting mosquito fauna was large 

 enough to be distinctly felt in the surrounding area, which in this case 

 happened to be about the most frequented lounging place for the 

 workmen in Tabernilla during noon hours. 



WYEOMYIA GALOA Dyar and Knab 



The very specialized larvK of this species live in the conspicuous 

 red flower-sheaths of a P)ihai ( Hclicoiiia) species, common on the 

 Zone. These flower sheaths contain but little water and that of a 

 slimy character, but they harbor a number of dipterous and coleop- 

 terous insects. The mosquito larvae of the present species are 

 slender, flattened, strongly segmented with yellow head, short tube, 

 and long anal appendages ; they have the ability to move head fore- 

 most, more crawling than swimming through the sometimes thick 

 fUiid. in which they live: they are even able to crawl head first up the 

 sides of the calyx above the fluid, and undoubtedly seek another 

 lower and wetter flower sheath in this way, if for some reason the 

 sheath in which thev are coes drv. 



