MOSQUITOS OR CULICIDAE OF NEW YORK STATE 257 



Adult mosquitos are fed on by a number of natural enemies, 

 prominent among which, may be listed various birds and bats. 

 Theobald mentions the night hawk, swallows, martins and fly- 

 catchers as being specially valuable. It is well known that dragon 

 flies devour many small flies, including mosquitos, and Dr Howard 

 records, on the authority of Mr E. P. Salmon of Beloit Wis., the 

 presence of a little red louse on mosquitos. Attack by some mite, 

 probably Trombidium muscarum, on mosquitos has 

 also been reported to us by Mr J. G. Lindsley of Oswego N. Y., 

 an observer in whom we have utmost confidence. 



Adult mosquitos are also attacked by certain fungus diseases. 

 First, Entomophthora spaerosperma Fersn., attacks 

 many different insects and frequently affects mosquitos. Another 

 species, Empusa culicis Braun., is very similar to the 

 fungus so frequently observed on house flies, and is one, as the 

 name implies, that destroys many of these little pests. A third 

 species recorded by Thaxter as attacking small gnats is known as 

 FJmpusa papilata, but as the gnats were not determined 

 we can not say that it affects mosquitos. In addition. Prof. R. H. 

 Pettit of Michigan, records attack on mosquitos by a new species 

 of Entomophthora. He states that on Aug. 5 Mr Barlow 

 found a number of adult mosquitos killed by it, and that they 

 were very numerous on the margin of one of the pools in the North 

 Woods, sometimes almost covering the soil and the pieces of bark 

 to which they clung. Recently killed individuals, showed little, 

 if any, external growth, while others were covered with a dull 

 white coat and all were within a few inches of the water and 

 headed away from it. The victims die so close to the water, that 

 they are, as pointed out by Professor Pettit, in an ideal situation 

 to infect their fellows. He states that the appearance of an in- 

 fected mosquito is very characteristic. The entire body is swollen 

 and covered with a dull white growth, sometimes almost lead 

 color, and it is fastened down by many slender brownish threads. 

 This fungus was also mot with by him on several species of Musci- 

 dae, on a Chironomid and on a dragon fly, probably D i p 1 a x 

 rubicundula. Several attempts were made to introduce the 

 disease in other places, but without success. 



