218 THE MOSQUITOES OF NEW JERSEY 



Wyeorayia sniithii Coquillet 

 The Pitcher Plant Mosquito 



DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERIZATION 



[Canada to Alabama and probably covers the same range as its host 

 plant, Serracencia purpuria. Howard, Dyar, and Knab report it as the 

 only sabethine mosquito living in temperate latitudes. Seven specimens 

 have been trapped in New Jersey.] 



Small, black, with abdomen, legs, and proboscis unhanded, and wings 

 unspotted. Whole under surface, including sides of thorax and part of 

 under side of legs yellowish or silvery white, strongly in contrast with 

 black upper side. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE ADULT 



Very small, measuring, exclusive of beak, 3 mm. (.12 inch) in length. 

 Proboscis comparatively very long, being two-thirds length of body; 

 black, slender, slightly swollen at apex. Head and eyes jet black above; 

 beneath silvery white scales extend up posterior border of eyes and ap- 

 proach slightly on dorsal part ; very small patch of similar scales on 

 anterior part of head in angle formed by eyes. Rarely these scales dif- 

 fused and form indistinct border to posterior margin of eyes. Palpi 

 short in both sexes, shortest in male, composed of three segments each, 

 apical one long, basal ones small with weak sutures ; brownish black, 

 sparsely set with bristles, one directly on apex, scales do not cover sur- 

 face densely. Antennae fourteen- jointed, precisely the same in both male 

 and female, penultimate joint slightly longer, apical one twice as long 

 as others. Almost black, pale at base, set with basal whorls of long 

 bristles which become gradually shorter toward apex. 



Thorax evenly blackish brown, rather sparsely covered with short 

 concolorous hair; occasionally grayish scales diffused over surface or 

 collected into irregular stripes. Pleura pale brown with several small 

 patches of silvery white scales, one small patch of bright violaceous ones 

 in anterior angle. Legs black, with under side of femora and tibiae light 

 yellow, tarsi black with brassy yellow sheen. Claws of anterior tarsal 

 joint in male equal and simple, those of middle tarsal joint unequal, 

 larger very long and curved, about one-fourth its length, straight and 

 very acute ; posterior claws like anterior, but smaller. Female claws 

 same as in male except that middle claws are like anterior ones. 



Abdomen swollen posteriorly, brownish black on dorsal surface, with 

 metallic bronze sheen. Venter yellowish, densely covered with silvery 



