Mosquitoes 



the opportunity of propagating the species. The main purpose 

 of the adult is propagation. 



The adult male mosquito does not necessarily take nourish- 

 ment and the adult female does not necessarily rely upon the 

 blood of the warm-blooded animals. The mouth-parts of the 

 male are so different from those of the female that it is probable 



Fig. 54. — Anopheles maculipennis : Adult ; male at left, female at right- 

 enlarged. (Author's illustration.) 



that if it feeds at all it obtains its food in quite a different manner 

 from the female. They will sip water or any liquid substance, 

 and appear to be especially fond of beer and wine. The females 

 are normally, without much doubt, plant-feeders, and very few 

 of them get an opportunity to taste the blood of a warm-bodied 

 animal. They will feed upon other than warm-blooded animals. 

 They have been seen puncturing the heads of young fish; they 



