Chironomidm, or Midges 



109 



than the two preceding combined, while the last five are sub-equal to, 

 or longer than the preceding segment. The legs are relatively stouter 

 than in the other Chironomidae. The following three genera of this 

 subfamily are best known as blood suckers in this country. 



Of the genus Culicoides there are many species occurring in various 

 parts of the world. ' A number are known to bite man and animals and 

 it is probable that all are capable of inflicting injury. In some 

 localities they are called punkies, in others, sand-flies, a name some- 

 times also applied to the species of Simulium and Phlebotomus. 

 Owing to their very small size they are known by some tribes of 

 Indians as No-see-ums. The larvae are found in ponds, pools, water 

 standing in hollow tree stumps, and the like. Though probably living 

 chiefly in fresh water, we have found a species occurring in salt water. 

 The larvae are small, slender, legless, 

 worm-like creatures (fig. 77c) with 

 small brown head and twelve body 

 segments. The pups (fig. 77^) are 

 slender, more swollen at the anterior 

 end and terminating in a forked pro- 

 cess. They fioat nearly motionless in 

 a vertical position, the respiratory 

 tubes in contact with the surface film. 

 The adults are all small, rarely exceed- 

 ing 2}^ mm. in length. The wings 

 are more or less covered with erect 

 setulffi or hairs and in many species 

 variously spotted and marked with 



iridescent blotches. The antenna have foiuteen segments, the palpi 

 usually five. The wing venation and mouth-parts are shown in 

 figures 77 and 78. Of the twenty or more species of this genus 

 occurring in the United States the following are known to bite : C. 

 cinctus, C. guttipennis, C. sanguisuga, C. siellifer, C. variipennis , 

 C. unicolor. 



One of the most widely distributed and commonest species in the 

 Eastern States is C. guttipennis (fig. 77a). It is black with brown 

 legs, a whitish ring before the apex of each femur and both ends of 

 each tibia; tarsi yellow, knobs of halteres yellow. Mesonotum 

 opaque, brown, two vittse in the middle, enlarging into a large spot 

 on the posterior half, also a curved row of three spots in front of each 

 wing, and the narrow lateral margins, light gray pruinose. Wings 



78. 



Culicoides guttipennis; mouth 

 parts of adult. After Pratt. 



