Throughout Canada mosquitoes are familiar to everyone as biting pests. In addition to their importance as a nuisance, a few species occasionally create problems out of all proportion to their numbers by transmitting disease organisms. Such pests have been the reason for costly abatement programs. At times, Canada seems to have been afflicted with a greater than average share of mosquitoes. Though the number of species (so far, 74 have been found) is not particularly large compared with the fauna of tropical countries, mosquitoes are often exceptionally numerous, and almost every part of the country experiences periodic outbreaks of one species or another.
This publication has been prepared for the identification of adults and fully grown larvae. Although eggs, early instar larvae, and pupae of most North American species are known, they are less easily identified than adults and mature larvae. Also, sufficient material for every species and enough experience to offer identification aids for these early stages are lacking. Rearing eggs and pupae to larvae and adults is probably easier and less time consuming than attempting to identify them in their early stages. In this publication, the keys to the larvae differ somewhat from the traditional approach, because they are specifically designed for identifying whole specimens in fluid, either alive or preserved, with the aid of a dissecting microscope. The identification of living larvae can be confirmed by rearing them to the adult stage.
This publication has been prepared for the identification of adults and fully grown larvae. Although eggs, early instar larvae, and pupae of most North American species are known, they are less easily identified than adults and mature larvae. Also, sufficient material for every species and enough experience to offer identification aids for these early stages are lacking. Rearing eggs and pupae to larvae and adults is probably easier and less time consuming than attempting to identify them in their early stages. In this publication, the keys to the larvae differ somewhat from the traditional approach, because they are specifically designed for identifying whole specimens in fluid, either alive or preserved, with the aid of a dissecting microscope. The identification of living larvae can be confirmed by rearing them to the adult stage.