440 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



pupae can be destroyed by pouring a small quantity of kero- 

 sene on the water ; this method of destroying them was first 

 suggested by Mr. L. O. Howard. 



Family Chironomid^e (Chir-o-nom'i-dae). 



The Midges. 



The members of this family are more or less mosquito- 

 like in form. The abdomen is usually 

 long and slender; the wings narrow ; the 

 legs long and delicate ; and the antennae,, 

 especially in the males, strongly plumose 

 (Fig. 516). In fact many of these insects 

 are commonly mistaken for mosquitoes; 

 but only a few of them can bite, the 



Fig. 516. — Antennae of , , . . . 



chironamus. /, female ; greater number being harmless. 



The midges are most easily distin- 

 guished from mosquitoes by the structure of the wings 

 (Fig. 517). These are furnished with fewer and usually less 



[L HI2+3 





vn 2 



Vllr. 



Fig. 517.— Wing of Chironomus. 



distinct veins; and the veins, although sometimes hairy, are 

 not fringed with scale-like hairs. There is a marked contrast 

 between the stouter veins near the costal border of the wing 

 and those on the other parts of the wing, which seem to be 

 fading out. The costal vein is not prolonged into an am- 

 bient vein, beyond the apex of the wing. 



The name midge has been used in an indefinite way, 

 some writers applying it to any minute fly. It is much 

 better, however, to restrict it to members of this family 



