MOSQUITOES 



67 



thorax (Fig. 28). It is commonly known as the "day" 

 mosquito, "tiger" mosquito, "gray" mosquito, and 

 "calico" mosquito. 

 It is undoubtedly 

 not a native mos- 

 quito of the United 

 States, but has been 

 introduced through 

 commercial inter- 

 course from tropical 

 countries. It is, 

 however, widely dis- 

 tributed south of the 

 Mason and Dixon 

 line, and has been 

 reported as far north 

 as New York, where 

 it was probably car- 

 ried by boats. It 

 is primarily a house 

 mosquito in towns 

 and cities and is 

 seldom found around 

 country homes. 



Its life history is similar to that of Culex. The eggs 

 are black in color and covered with a shining membrane. 

 They are cigar-shaped and are found singly or in groups 

 near or on the surface of the water in rain-barrels, cisterns, 

 tanks, or other receptacles for water about the house. 

 The eggs are very resistant to cold and to drying, but under 

 favorable circumstances hatch in ten hours to three days. 

 The larvae are very active, always searching and foraging 



FIG. 28. The yellow fever mosquito. 

 (XT.) 



