82 N. J. Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 348 



worse than useless because the kilHfish cannot Hve in the sewage and 

 an increased volume of water is to be removed. 



TJic House-Mosquito Group 



The house mosquito {Cupex pipiens Linn.) is so predominant in 

 this group that there seems little reason to mention any other species 

 except possibly the white dotted mosquito {Culex restuans Theob.). 



The House Mosquito 



(Culex pipiens) 



Recognition Marks 



Dr. Smith^ characterizes the house mosquito as follows : "It is of 

 medium size, deep yellowish to dark brown color, the legs and beak 

 are not banded, and the abdomen has a narrow whitish band at the 

 base of each segment. It is rather a slight species and not especially 

 hairy — having, indeed, a lean and hungry look." 



The larva is found in almost all sorts of stagnant fresh-water 

 pools and in water on the salt-marsh when it has become sewage- 

 soaked. Pools charged with fish or well exposed to the rippling ef- 

 fect of the wind rarely show any breeding. The house-mosquito 

 larva is pretty well characterized to the naked eye by its very long 

 breathing tube which is at least four times as long as broad. There 

 are other species sometimes found in house-mosquito pools that so 

 resemble it as to render the use of the microscope necessary. With 

 this instrument the house-mosquito larva can be separated from 

 others by the following points : ( i ) the sides of the breathing tube 

 are a little swollen out or inflated; (2) the antennae arise from the 

 sides of the anterior part of the head and have the hair tufts beyond 

 the point midway from base to tip; (3) the scales on each side of 

 the eighth abdominal segment are twenty or more in number, are 

 separate and form a large patch ; (4) there are 4 tracheal gills. 



Importance 



None of the species of mosquitoes in New Jersey, with the excep- 

 tion of the two migrating salt-marsh species (A. sollicitans and A. 

 cantator), can compare with the house mosquito in injurious power. 

 It is everywhere about human habitations. It breeds in large num- 

 bers wherever water stands long enough. It penetrates our screens 

 and attacks us at night as we try to sleep. 



"Smith, J. B., 1904, N. J. Agr. Exp. Sta., Report on Mosquitoes, p. 10-11. 



