The Mosquitoes of North and Central America and the West Indies (Volume 3); Systematic Description (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915. Excerpt: ... The species breeds continuously in warm weather and in consequence increases in numbers as the season advances. Knab, in Massachusetts, found that the larvae began to appear in May. Eggs, larvae and pupae are destroyed by the first frosts. The larvae most frequently occur in artificial receptacles, but also in ground pools when these are sufficiently polluted. In cities they breed extensively in the catch-basins of sewers. Here, when there is a long period without rain and the sewers are not flushed, they increase enormously. Six days is given as the minimum larval period, but frequently it is much longer and it may be greatly prolonged by unfavorable food and temperature conditions. The presence of organic matter favors the development of this species and it is able to thrive in highly polluted water. In a case observed by Knab, and already quoted under the mating habits, the water was highly charged with the refuse from slaughtered animals; here the larvae were so numerous that the ends of their breathing-tubes at the water-surface gave the appearance of a scum; egg-rafts were present over an extensive surface to the number of about 20 to the square foot. Larvae, pupae and eggs were still present early in November. Ficalbi, for Italy, states that the larvae sometimes occur in swamps as well as in ditches, but that they occur most frequently in artificial receptacles in and out of doors. He has found them in the fonts of consecrated water in churches. He has also found them in sulphurous water. At Murphysboro, Illinois, Mr. C. A. Mosier found the larvae in a large hall, in December; they were in basins with water into which tubs with palms were set. Temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, but not in the extreme north; in North America, the northern...