CHAPTER II 



SOME HABITS OF THE ADULTS 



THE study of the ways of the different species 

 in their various stages offers an intensely in- 

 teresting and almost inexhaustible field of research. 

 Especially to those workers concerned with the ex- 

 termination of the pests is the knowledge of the hab- 

 its of the common forms of the utmost importance. 

 Mosquitoes do not appear to be fond of strong sun- 

 light. Even the yellow-fever mosquito — the " day 

 mosquito," as it has been termed — does not care 

 to fly or bite in the sun at mid-day. During the 

 bright part of the day mosquitoes generally hide in 

 dark, preferably cool, damp places, under leaves, 

 bark, in grass, in cellars, wells, cisterns, lofts and 

 barns, and in the darkest corners of rooms. How- 

 ever, although the malaria carriers, Anopheles, are 

 commonly believed to bite only at night, yet I have 

 observed A. punctipennis biting on a sunny day, 

 about three P. M., in a dry wood on a hill-top above 

 a brook, the ground covered with dry leaves and the 

 trees (except the maples) not yet blossoming; this 

 was on March 8th, at Washington, D. C. Mosqui- 

 toes in the house are apt to take refuge behind pic- 

 tures or cunningly to settle on dark wood rather than 

 on light, where they would be more conspicuous. 



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