8 N. J. Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 348 



be classified as first-class pests. New Jersey's mosquito problem 

 dififers from that of inland states primarily by reason of the preva- 

 lence of the far-flying species which breed on the salt marsh. It 

 dilTers from that of most other coastal states, which have extensive 

 salt marshes and lie in about the same latitude, in that at the northern 

 end of its marshes is located an unusually dense population consist- 

 ing of people drawn by business opportunities from all parts of the 

 United States. 



Roughly speaking, the species of importance may be grouped as 

 follows : (i) the salt-marsh breeding species; (2) the woodland pool 

 species (3) the fresh-water swamp species; (4) the malarial spe- 

 cies; (5) the house-mosquito species. The first group covers in 

 its distribution a coastal strip of varying width, involving more than 

 three- fourths the population. The second group occurs throughout 

 the northern half of the state wherever woodland pools are found. 

 The fresh-water swamp species are found throughout the state wher- 

 ever the cedar-swamp water is absent, but as a matter of act, are 

 largely confined to the northern half where the soil is not sandy. The 

 malarial species are more variable, piinctipcnnis being found through- 

 out, quadrimaciilatits in limited areas throughout the northern half, 

 and crucians only in the southeastern corner. The house mosquito 

 is found everywhere throughout the state always occurring in the 

 neighborhood of human habitation. It must be understood that 

 these statements refer to general occurrence and do not mean that 

 occasional specimens may not be found outside the territory allotted 

 to the species to which they belong. 



Furthermore, it should be recognized that species vary in abun- 

 dance from year to year. A species which this year is scarce and 

 almost negligible may next year be very abundant and a most seri- 

 ous pest. In the course of the last eight seasons the writer has seen 

 the fresh- water swamp mosquito (Acdcs syhestris) rise in the 

 northern part of the state to the position of the dominant form 

 and then sink into comparative insignificance. The exact cause of 

 this variation is not known but it is assumed that natural enemies 

 or climate or both are responsible. Likewise, any of the free-biting 

 species which at present occur in only negligible numbers might 

 rapidly increase to proportions of a serious pest. The man, there- 

 fore, who would be successful as a mosquito fighter must know not 

 only the ordinary economic species but must be able to recognize the 

 less common and usually non-economic forms. 



