V. S. n. A., li. E. Unl. M. Part HI. Issiird April 2, 10O7. 



SOME MISCELLANHOrS RESULTS OF Till: WORK 

 OF THE BUREAU OF ENTOM()L()GY-L\. 



NOTES ON " PUNKIES." 



{Cemtopo(/()n spp.) 



By F'. ('. Pkatt, 

 Special Field Acjent. 



INTRODUCTION. 



While in the Bhie Hidge Mountains near Bluemont, Va., a few 

 years ao;o the \\Titer lieard reports concernino; ''bitin<^ <2:nats," which 

 were said to bite furiously before rains. At that time his stay was 

 of short duration, and a dry summer prevented him from securino; 

 specimens. In 1904, however, durino; another visit to the same local- 

 ity one rainy week, July 21-28, he was harassed b}^ myriads of these 

 minute fhes, which were extremely numerous and active after as well 

 as before rains. They proved to be Ceratopogon gnttipennis Coq., 

 one of the smaller Chironomidse. Mr. D. W. Coquillett has recentl}^ 

 made a careful systematic study of the specimens belonging to the 

 genus Ceratopogon contained in the United States National Museum 

 collection, including those reared at the insectary of this Department 

 and by the writer, and the determinations of the species here men- 

 tioned are his. The records of these rearings are brought together in 

 the present paper with the addition of such data as have been commu- 

 nicated by collectors and correspondents. 



Prior to 1902 little had been published on any of these pernicious 

 insects beyond scattered notices such as were furnished in a previous 

 bulletin" of this Bureau, on the bite of (\ stellifer Coq. in Texas. As 

 the ])i])liographic references have never been collected, the writer 

 has l)rought together all data and accompanying illustrations, with 

 such references to the biting and other habits of this group as he has 

 ])een a])le to find. 



CERATOPOGON GUTTIPENNIS Coq. 



The flies of the species ( 'emtopogon guttijxuni.s will bite any exposed 

 part of the body, preferring, however, the hairy parts. At one time 

 25 individuals were counted in the hair on the head of the writer's 

 8-year-old boy guide at Bluemont, Va. They are persistent in tlieir 

 endeavors to obtain blood, piercing the skin and filling uj) with blood 

 so as almost to lose semblance to flies. In many cases an itcliing 



a Bui. 44, Div. Km.. V. S. Dcpl. .\sjric.. j). <»2. Iit04. 



23 



