REMARKS ON MOSQUITOES 



553 



After sucking, and when night has fallen, the mosquitoes find a place of refuge, for 

 which purpose they utilize the grasses or foliage of trees and bushes, or inhabited or 

 uninhabited rooms of houses, also cellars, stables, verandahs, etc., where they also 

 pass the day. 



[Some mosquitoes bite in the daytime Stegoymia and some Anophelines ; some 

 bite right into the night, as Culex fatigans and C.pipicns. F. V. T.J 



The period required for digestion varies according to the temperature. It takes 

 two days in summer, and may take up to ten days or more in cool weather. After 

 digestion is complete more food is taken up, this being necessary [in some species 

 only F. V. T.] for the maturing of the sexual products in the female. 



It is still unknown under what circumstances copulation takes place ; l in any 



"T1 



FIG. 391. Larva of Anopheles maculi- 

 fennis, Fabr. Enlarged. (After Grassi.) 



FIG. 392. Lirva of Culex. Enlarged. 

 (After Grassi.) 



case, sooner or later the females are fecundated, and when the ova have become 

 mature, and the season is not too far advanced, they seek a suitable place in which 

 to deposit them. 2 These are larger or smaller, permanent or temporary, collections 

 of standing water, pools, puddles, lakes, pits, water in rain-water barrels, basins, etc. 

 Nevertheless, certain kinds prefer certain waters^ ; thus Anopheles (claviger) maculi- 

 pennis and several of the Culices seek stagnant water overgrown with swamp vegeta- 

 tion and decomposing vegetable matter ; A. bifurcatus and certain Culices, clear 

 water with some vegetation (such as fountains and the lakes in gardens and parks) ; 

 Culex pipiejis has a preference for rain-water barrels, even though the water be dirty 

 and evil-smelling. [I have found the larvae of Anopheles bifurcatus living in great 

 numbers in ponds and lakes completely overgrown with floating water-weeds, and 

 those of Culex pipietis in liquid manure. 



1 The act of copulation in many species is now known. The female Culex has three 

 receptaculoe seminalis, while the female Anopheles has one receptaculum seminis. 



- It is certain that the females peiish immediately after depositing the ova ; but this does 

 not always hold good, as a part of them survive for a few days. The males die soon after 

 copulation. 



