Mosquitoes of the Northwestern States
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agriculture Handbook No. 46 WASHINGTON, D. C ISSUED NOVEHBBB 1951 MOSQUITOES OF THE NORTHWESTERN STATES By H. H. STAGE. C. M. GJULX.IN and W. W. YATES, Entomologists Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine Agricultural Research Administration For «al« b7 tli« Snpcrintendmt of Docmneiita, Washiixton, D. C. - - Prie« 35 cents (Paper Corar) This handbook deals with the mosquitoes recorded from the three Northwestern States—Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. It brings together widely scattered information on 39 species and subspecies, including descriptions and keys for identifying the species and notes on the several associ- ations of species and their biology, their economic impor- tance, distribution, and methods of control. The handbook has been prepared as a companion to Miscellaneous Publi- cation 336, The Mosquitoes of the Southeastern States (83). The control methods recommended here differ considerably from those in that publication because many new insecti- cides have been developed since it was last revised. Culex tar salis y the most widely distributed mosquito in the Northwest. It breeds in the widest variety of waters and is one of the most potent transmitters of western equine encephalomyelitis and St. Louis encephalitis. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agriculture Handbook 46 WASHINGTON, D. C. ISSUED NOVEMBER 1952 MOSQUITOES OF THE NORTHWESTERN STATES BY H. H. STAGE, C. M. GJULLIN, and W. W. YATES, entomologists, Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine Agricultural Research Administration i CONTENTS Page Page Mosquito literature 2 Associations of species in the Northwest—continued Mosquito-control associations and Tidal water 23 abatement districts in the Log ponds and water in United States artificial containers 24 General characteristics and habits Mosquito control 24 of mosquitoes Surveys 24 Life History Hand collections 25 Eggs Trap collections 26 Larvae Collections of larvae ...... 28 Pupae Collections of eggs 29 Adults V Engineering surveys 30 Longevity Control of larvae 30 Flight Elimination of breeding places 30 Collection and preservation of Use of larvicides 37 specimens Materials for controlling Identification of species mosquito larvae 39 History of mosquito control in the Control of adults ;.. 39 Northwest Repellents 39 Space sprays 40 Genera and species found in the Residual sprays 42 Northwest 10 Control of resistant mosquitoes 43 Mosquitos and disease 12 Equipment for applying Malaria 12 insecticides 44 Natural enemies of mosquitoes 44 Encephalitides 14 Keys and notes for identifying Associations of species in the mosquitoes of the Northwest 45 Northwest . 15 Key to genera 45 Floodwater 18 Genus Anopheles Meigen .... 49 Rain pools 19 Genus Aedes Meigen 53 Snow water 20 Genus Mansonia Blanchard . 75 Tree holes 22 Genus Culex Linnaeus 75 Irrigation water 22 Genus Culiseta Felt 79 Permanent ponds 23 Bibliography 87 1 Grateful acknowledgement is made of the aid given by E. F. Knipling, who was in charge of mosquito investigations in the Pacific Northwest from August 1, 1940, until April 1, 1942, and who later, as chief of the Division, gave invaluable council. Thanks are due also for data contributed by A. W. Lindquist, R. A. Hoff- man, and A. R. Roth, of the Corvallis, Greg., laboratory. HANDBOOK 46, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MOSQUITO LITERATURE ment districts. It gives informa- tion on laws and agencies for 'T^HE literature on mosquitoes mosquito abatement, education of A has become exceedingly large. the public, general principles of Each year about 1,000 references abatement methods and tech- to various phases of mosquito niques, abatement of disease vec- biology and the diseases they tors, and a host of related data. carry appear in widely scattered The Engineering News Record publications. Probably no other (25) has issued a series of short group of insects has received so papers on the engineering aspects much study throughout the world. of mosquito control. Some of the publications of espe- For those concerned with the cial interest to workers concerned manipulation of water levels in with mosquitoes in the Northwest the control of malaria and mos- are given at the end of this hand- quitoes, a publication by the book (p. 87). United States Public Health Serv- One of the earliest comprehen- ice and the Tennessee Valley Au- sive works on any group of in- thority (162) is indispensable. sects is a four-volume monograph Although the information is fo- by Howard, Dyar, and Knab cused on malaria control, the (68), issued in 1912-17. It in- possible field of application is far cludes descriptions, biology, dis- broader as it may be of great use tribution, and taxonomy of mos- in the development of water re- quitoes in the Western Hemis- sources, pow. r, and irrigations phere north of the equator. in the Northvest. Matheson's handbook (99), re- Several Strie bulletins and a vised in 1944, gives much infor- Canadian report will be found mation on the taxonomy and bi- particularly useful in a study of ology of the mosquitoes of North the mosquitoes in the North- America and includes a discus- west : California, by Freeborn and sion of their relation to human Bohart (SO) ; Montana, by Mail welfare and problems of control. (97) ; Utah, by Rees (111) ; Ore- More recently, in 1949, Car- gon, by Yates, Lindquist, and penter, Middlekauff, and Cham- Mote (17Í) ; the Lower Fraser berlin (13) published an authori- Valley of British Columbia, by tative book of nearly 300 pages Hearle (58). A guide for identi- covering the taxonomy and bi- fying mosquitoes of the Pacific ology of species found in the Coast States, by Freeborn and Southern States east of the Mis- Brookman (81), contains unique sissippi River. but valuable keys. In another book that appeared The following serial publica- in 1949, Marston Bates (17) has tions will be of interest to stu- compiled a voluminous array of dents of Culicidae: Mosquito facts on the biology and disease News, published quarterly by the relationships of mosquitoes, American Mosquito Control As- which will be very valuable to all sociation at Albany, N. Y., and students specializing in mosquito the proceedings published each research and control. year by the New Jersey Mosquito A textbook by Herms and Gray Extermination Association, the (62) is designed primarily for California Mosquito Control As- entomologists, engineers, and sociation, the Florida Anti-Mos- staff employees who are directing quito Association, and the Utah the activities of mosquito-abate- Mosquito Abatement Association. MOSQUITOES OF THE NORTHWESTERN STATES Articles on mosquitoes also ap- The California Mosquito Control As- sociation, organized in 1932. pear in bulletins and reports of The American Mosquito Control the United States Public Health Association, Inc., organized in 1936. Service and in various entomolog- The Virginia Mosquito Control Asso- ical, medical, and other scientific ciation, organized in 1947. The Utah Mosquito Abatement Asso- journals throughout the world. ciation, organized in 1947. For a number of years articles The Illinois Mosquito Control Asso- on various phases of the biology ciation, organized in 1948. and control of anopheline mos- Each of these associations quitoes appeared in the Journal holds annual meetings, and most of the National Malaria Society. of them publish their proceed- This society has now amalga- ings, which contain valuable con- mated with the American Society tributions on mosquito biology of Tropical Medicine to become and control. the American Society of Tropical The American Mosquito Con- Medicine and Hygiene, and its trol Association is international journal includes papers on rnos- in scope and has a membership quitoes and their disease relation- of about 1,000. It is a nonprofit ships. technical and educational associa- MOSQUITO-CONTROL ASSOCI- tion of mosquito workers, com- ATIONS AND ABATEMENT posed of entomologists, sanitary DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED engineers, control officials, med- STATES 'j ical personnel, and laymen who There are sevm mosquito- are charged with or are inter- control associations 4n the United ested in mosquito control and States (1.Í0), as follows: related work. Annual meetings The New Jersey Extermination Asso- are held in various parts of the ciation, organized in 1913. The Florida Anti-Mosquito Associa- United States, usually conjointly tion, organized in 1929. with the State associations. MALARIA AND PEST MOSQUITO CONTROL OPERATIONS IN UNITED STATES MALARIA MOSOUITO CONTROL (Public H«alth S*rvl«*) U&an« STATE MOSQUITO CONTROL DISTRICTS M.SA. Wwt.H»0. U. i. DCMRTMCNr OF ACmCUkTURC FIGURE 1.—Map of the United States showing location of mosquito-control operations, 1950. HANDBOOK 46, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE There are about 250 local mos- three States, whereas Aedes hexo- quito-control agencies in 39 dontus is found only in snow States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico water in high mountainous areas (fig. 1). These agencies are com- {27). Some genera, such as monly called mosquito-abatement Aedes y lay their eggs on ground districts and are usually named that may later be flooded, where- after the counties in which they as others, such as Culex and Culi" are located. In 1951 Florida had seta, lay them directly on the 21 such districts, with a total water surface. budget of about $985,000; Cali- Temperatures of air and water, fornia 44, with over $1,700,000; alkalinity or acidity of the water, New Jersey 16, with $640,000; and associated shelter and vege- Utah 4, with $117,000; Virginia tation aiïect the abundance and 13, with $178,000; and Rhode presence of most species. The Island 18, with $76,000. A total species also differ in biting hab- of more than $6,000,000 is bud- its, longevity, and flight range. geted annually in the fight The mosquito is an insect hav- against pest mosquitoes and ma- ing a complete metamorphosis.