Mosquitoes of Nissan Island — Laird 
153 
ature averaging 29°C. (some 2° less than the 
shade air temperature) during the daytime. 
The average population of A. kochi (50 
counts) was five larvae and pupae per cubic 
centimetre of water. The largest number re- 
corded in one leaf axil was 136 (81 early instar 
larvae, 43 late instars, and 12 pupae) in 15 cc. 
of water. Developmental stages of Chiro- 
nomidae were commonly found in associa- 
tion with those of A. kochi. Large numbers of 
small ants were once noticed swarming over 
the leaf and stem surfaces down to the edge 
of a small pocket of water (about 2 cc.) in a 
taro leaf axil. The water held two early instar 
and three late instar larvae of A. kochi, which 
were promptly seized upon by the ants when 
the water was drained away by means of a 
knife cut. 
A. kochi females were abundant at the 
camp during the evenings, and featured 
prominently in biting collections made from 
dusk until about 11:00 p.m. 
Aedes (Stegomyia) quasiscutellaris Farner 
and Bohart, 1944, Biol. Soc. Wash., Proc. 
57: 120. 
Like other members of the scutellaris group, 
Aedes quasiscutellaris breeds readily in domes- 
tic situations. Developmental stages were 
collected from a variety of habitats, for the 
most part domestic in nature. These included 
44-gallon drums, an old water tower, truck 
tyres lying flat on the ground, tin cans, coco- 
nut husks, and tree holes. In drums and tanks 
they were often associated with Culex annuli- 
rostris, and once with Anopheles farauti as well. 
Many larvae of A. quasiscutellaris and C. 
annulirostris were found in a flour drum full 
of water in the dark interior of a shed. A. 
quasiscutellaris was never found in association 
with other species of mosquitoes in such 
larval habitats as water held in truck tyres, 
coconut husks, and tree holes. 
The water temperature in larval habitats of 
A. quasiscutellaris was generally some two or 
three degrees Centigrade above that of the 
shade air temperature at midday. In one such 
habitat, a 44-gallon drum standing in an ex- 
posed situation at the edge of one of the air- 
strips, the midday water temperature was 
found to be 36°C. The hydrogen-ion content 
of water holding developmental stages of this 
species ranged from 5.5 to pA 6.5. 
Chironomidae were constantly associated 
with A. quasiscutellaris throughout its range 
of larval habitats, and adults and larvae of 
dytiscid beetles {Bidessus sp.) were sometimes 
plentiful. The presence of the latter insects 
did not appear to have any appreciable effect 
on the numbers of Aedes present. 
Adults of A. quasiscutellaris were not 
troublesome during the evenings, but bit 
constantly in shady places near larval habitats 
during the daytime. 
Aedes (Aedes) carmenti Edwards, 1924, Bui. 
Ent. Res. 14: 388. 
No breeding places were ever discovered. 
Adult females were common and bit readily 
in shady jungle during the daytime. A few 
were captured in a lighted room in the early 
evening. 
Armigeres breinli (Taylor, 1914), Roy. 
Ent. Soc., London, Trans. 1914: 186 {Neo- 
squamomyia ) . 
Developmental stages were cominonly 
found in coconut husks which had been 
pierced for drinking purposes. These husks 
had a small hole in one place only, and held 
water of a yellowish colour heavily charged 
with decomposing copra. They were usually 
shaded from direct sunlight by grasses, and 
the water within them attained an average 
midday temperature of 28°C., some 3° less 
than the prevailing shade air temperature. 
Water emptied from these husks frequently 
held a wriggling mass of larvae and pupae of 
A. hreinli. In one case 363 early instar larvae, 
119 late instars, and 41 pupae were counted 
in 250 cc. of water from a single husk. No 
other mosquitoes were associated with A. 
hreinli in any of the larval habitats examined. 
