MOSQUITO BIOLOGY 169 



served to devour other mosquito larvae with which they were associated. 

 Dr. Dyar obtained small larvae late in the fall, which failed to mature 

 before winter. It is possible that the larvae hibernate, but the hiberna- 

 tion may be normally as adult. This species occurs, with other mosqui- 

 toes breeding in tree holes, in forested regions, often when the country 

 is so dry that no other mosquitoes are found." 



Culex apicalis Adams 

 The Little Black Mosquito 



DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERIZATION 



[Temperate to subtropical America. Trapped 3,394 females in New 

 Jersey.] 



Small, black mosquito, long, unhanded legs, beak, and unspotted 

 wings. Abdomen narrowly banded with white at apex of segments. This 

 character occurs only in one other of our species, Psorophora discolor, 

 and that has spotted wings. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE ADULT 



One of smallest species of genus Culex, very delicate looking; 4.5—7 

 mm. (.18-.20 inch) long, exclusive of beak, which is 2 mm. long. Head 

 dark brown with scattered whitish scales ; proboscis brown, darker to- 

 ward apex, without marks or rings. Palpi in female brown, shape and 

 position of terminal joint as in C. pipiens, except third joint swollen 

 toward tip. In male palpi blackish, basal joint almost reaching tip of 

 proboscis, two terminal ones short, apical slightly shorter than central. 

 Slender, not dilated, precisely as in Theobaldia melanurus, figure of 

 which answers perfectly for apicalis. Antennae of both sexes brown, 

 plumes of male paler. 



Thorax evenly brown without spiny clothing, sides fringed with long, 

 black, curved hairs. Pleura brown with patches of grayish white scales. 

 Femora and tibiae very dark brown, their apices with white spot and 

 under sides wholly creamy white. Tarsi all black without rings or bands. 

 Claws in both sexes agree with those of C. pipiens, being equal and 

 simple in female and in posterior tarsi of male, while those of middle 

 and anterior pairs of male unequal in length with single tooth to each 

 claw. 



Abdomen blackish brown, with narrow apical bands of white, which 

 become wide at sides, until, beneath wholly white or grayish white. 



