a handbook of the mosquitoes of north america - Systematic Catalog ...

38 MOSQUITOES OF NORTH AMERICA
a similar habit. This latter species prefers the water found
in the holes of oaks and is frequently abundant where favor-
able conditions exist.
The breeding grounds of the common house mosquitoes
have already been indicated. CUZEX territam breeds in more
or less permanent pools, especially if these have decaying leaves
or are fouled by wastes. In the northern parts of its range,
it frequently breeds in rain-barrels or other artificial recepta-
cles. In certain northern rural sections, it might be called a
semi-domesticated s,pecies for it invades houses and breeds
close about dwellings. It is rarely, if ever, found in urban
districts. Czilex tarsnlis breeds in almost any kind of ground
pool either in the open or in deep woodlands. It is the domi-
nant mosquito in certain sections of western North America.
Practically all our Theobaldia species breed in permanent
pools, some restricted to the dark woodland pools while oth-
ers, as T. imidem, can accommodate themselves to almost
any kind of permanent pool or even artificial water containers.
Our Psoroplzora species breed in the most temporary rain pud-
dles. The larval life is very brief, usually occupying only a
few days.
The most remarkable larval habitat of any of our mosclui-
toes is that of Taezziorlz31~zch,zks perturbam. The eggs are laid
in small rafts but the larvae on hatching settle down in the
water and attach themselves to aquatic plants, by means of
their heavily chitinized air-tubes (Plate XXII, 4). They live
entirely below the surface of the water and obtain their air
from the air-spaces in the plants to which they are attached.
Development is very slow. Though the eggs hatch in the sum-
mer, the larvae do not mature till the following summer. Pu-
pation also takes place below the surface of the water, the
pupae attaching to plants by means of their air-tubes. Though
it is frequently very abundant, a persistent invader of houses,
and an extremely vicious biter, I have not been able to locate
its breeding areas in central New York. All observations in-
dicate that it breeds only in comparatively shallow water in