The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-11-15
Biography of a Mosquito.

III the mosquito were very rare in
sect, found only in some far off country,
we should look upon it as most
curious living creature, and read its
history with Wonderland an animal
could live two such different lives, one
II the water and the other in the air
we speak of the mosquito as if there
were but one, while really there are
over thirty different kinds, all, however,
having similar habits, so that a descrip-
ton OF one answers for all. The female
mosquito lays her eggs on the water.
She forms little boat, gluing the eggs
together side by side, until she has from
25O to $50 thus fastened together. The
boat or raft is oval in shape, highest at
the ends, and floats away merrily for a
few days. The eggs then hatch and the
young mosquito enters the water where
The early part of its life is to be passed
You can find the young insects in this,
their larval stage, in pools of fresh wa
ter, or even in tub of rain water which
has been standing uncovered for few
days. They are called wrigglers, on
account of the droll way in which they
jerk about in the water They feed upon
very minute creatures, and also upon
~
tail the wriggler has tube through
which it breathes. If you approach the
pool or tub very quietly, you. can see
them in great numbers, heads down.
ward, with their breathing tube above
the surface. If you make the least dis
turbance, they will scamper down into
deep water. After wriggling about for
two weeks, and changing their skins
several times, the larva becomes apupa
You know that most insects in the pupa
state do not move, but take Il sleep of
greater or less length. Not so the lively
I little mosquito. In its pupa state it be-
comes a big-headed creature which does
not eat. 1t moves about quite rapidly,
but with the same wriggling motion; it
now has pair of paddles in its tail
end, ,and takes in air through tubes near
the head. In five or ten days the mos
quito ends its life in the water, and be-
comes a winged insect. The pupa comes
to the surface, and the skin cracks open
on the back, allowing first its head and
chest to come forth, finally the legs,
wings and the rest. This is the most
trying moment in the life of the insect;
if slight puff of wind should upset it
before the wings are dry, it will surely
drown; only a small proportion of the
whole number succeed in safely leaving
the pupa case; the greater share be-
come food for the fishes. If the wings
once get fairly dry, then the insect can
sail away, humming its tiny song of
gladness. How does it sing? Perhaps
when you heard its note at night you
did not stop to consider. 1t is point
which has puzzled many naturalists,
and it is not certainly known how the
note is produced, but probably the rap
i'd motion of the wings and the vibration
of the muscles of the chest are both
concerned in it. The most interesting
part about the insect-the "business
part" as some one has called its its
sting, or sucker. This is not a simple,
sharp-pointed tube, but consists of six
parts, which lie together in sheath,
and are used as one. How sharp these
must be TO go through our skin so easily!
After the puncture is made, it then acts
as 4 sucker to draw up the blood. The
insect which visits us is the female.
We rarely see the male mosquito.
Blood is not necessary to. the existence
of the mosquito, and probably but a
small share of them ever taste it. The
countries in which mosquitoes live in
greatest numbers-actual clouds-are
lot inhabited, and there are bat few an
;mals.-Dondhoe' Magazine.