MOSQUITOS OR CULICIDAE OF NEW YORK STATE 269 



abdomen plumbeus. Legs brownish with yellowish apical bands 

 on the femora and tibiae. Wings hyaline, thickly clothed with 

 scales and with darker spjQts at the base of the second longi- 

 ti'dinal vein, the region of the cross veins and the tips of the fork 

 cells. Posterior cross vein almost interstitial with mid cross vein. 

 Petiole of first foTk cell about two thirds the length of the cell, 

 that of the second about equal. 



This insiect occurs on Long Island and about Albany, and it 

 is accorded an extensive range by Theobald, who states that it is 

 widely distributed over Europe. It has been recorded from a 

 number of the Eastern states, and is found from Florida and 

 Texas, north to Canada and Manitoba. 



Dr Dyar found the larvae more or less commonly in nearly 

 every pool and pond, and even in rain water barrels at and about 

 Bellport and Amaganset L. I., and Dr Howard states that this 

 species appears to be universally distributed in the suburbs of 

 New York, where it appears to be more numerous than farther 

 north. The larvae occur about Albany only in midsummer and 

 are not abundant then. 



The life history of this insect has been worked out by Di 

 Howard, who states that the eggs are deposited in loose masses 

 on the surface of the water. He adds that they are somewhat 

 oval in outline, float on one side, and that they hatch in three or 

 four days. The larva usually remains near the surface, keeping 

 its body in a nearly horizontal position. The head of the larva 

 revolves easily, and though its normal position is with the back 

 upward, its head is frequently reversed to facilitate feeding on 

 algae, bits of dust and other floating matter. The specific gravity 

 of this larva is slightly less than water; consequently it requires 

 an effort on its part to sink, the reverse of what obtains in Culex. 

 The larva period lasted 16 days in the case observed by Dr How- 

 ard, and the pupa from 5 to 10 days, dependent on the weather. 

 The life cycle may be summarized as follows : egg 3 days, larva 

 16 days, pupa 5 days, making a total of 24 days, a portion of which 

 was passed in somewhat cool weather. The larval comb of this 

 species and that of the preceding are illustrated on plate 48. 



