192 THE MOSQUITOES OF NEW JERSEY 



Abdomen dark brown above and beneath, with whitish scales ir- 

 regularly scattered over whole surface, more so ventrally. Dorsal sur- 

 face appears to have light colored central stripe, as light happens to 

 strike it. 



HABITS OF THE ADULT 



This is the largest of our New Jersey mosquitoes and its bite is in 

 proportion to its size, but it does not seem to be so poisonous as that 

 of the smaller species. Clothing is little protection when it really wishes 

 to bite, for it gets through coat, vest, and two shirts to the skin with- 

 out any trouble whatever. It seems, however, that it prefers horses to 

 humans, and it certainly never attacks in swarms. It is not averse to 

 getting indoors if it can do so without much effort, and it is not in- 

 frequently sent in with house captures. In flight it is somewhat slow 

 and heavy, and I doubt whether it ever gets very far away from the 

 place where it bred. 



The method of hibernation is not definitely known, but it probably 

 hibernates in the egg stage. Adults have never been taken very early 

 in the season, and it is not until June that the species attracts atten- 

 tion in any stage. It continues, however, through September and to the 

 early days of October, so far as our records go. 



It is distributed throughout the state, but is usually rare. Only on 

 occasions when a brood has just emerged is it possible to find them in 

 numbers. A few are taken in New Brunswick every summer. The species 

 was commonly found at Spring Lake, near Trenton, July 2 ; a single 

 specimen occurred at Hackensack, August 8 ; one at Jamesburg, Au- 

 gust 16; two examples at Livingston Park, August 27, and that con- 

 cludes the slip record of captures. A few examples only are taken dur- 

 ing the summer at Laliaway. On the whole, unless one goes into the 

 haunts of this species in the woodlands, it can scarcely be called really 

 troublesome. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE LARVA 



Full grown, averages 10—12 mm. (.40— .44 inch) long, though speci- 

 mens occasionally attain immense length of 15 mm. (.60 inch), ex- 

 clusive of anal siphon. Usually pale gray, but sometimes dark gray. 

 Head quadrate, widest at eyes, slightly excavated on anterior margin, 

 pale brown, more or less blotched with dark brown spots, though often 

 uniformly colored. Two small hair tufts of four or five hairs on vertex, 

 near anterior margin. Antennae yellowish ; moderately long and slen- 

 der, but thick near base ; extreme apex has two short spines and small 



