I don't remember seeing one of these before. A mosquito? I found it resting on an 'Eyelash' salvia leaf. I ran inside the house for my camera so I could snag some shots. She (?) rested there for quite a long time. At my desk, I snooped around on Bugguide.net and found her. This is an elephant mosquito (Toxorhynchites rutilus).
According to the online species account, "Adults take nectar. Larvae feed on aquatic insects, especially other species of mosquites, becoming cannibalistic sometimes. Adults are day-fliers. Overwinter as late-instar larvae or as adult (southern part of range?). Has been reared for biological control. Predatory mosquitoes in the genus Toxorhynchites are the most
common arthropods which have been used for control of
"container-breeding" mosquitoes. The combination of carnivorous larvae
and innocuous adults is very attractive in biological control.
Successful biological control has been reported using Toxorhynchites species from Japan, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the United States."
4 comments:
Sheryl, thanks for posting about the mosquito. I've never seen that one either. I so enjoy your blog and learning new things about our wonderful world that God created. Have a blessed day!
I'd welcome seeing some of those around here. The mosquitoes this year have been especially plentiful and these mosquito eaters might help maintain a better balance. I suppose wherever they've been introduced, they'll find their way to us with such a feast on hand? I wonder what the down side of their being introduced will be. Isn't there usually some unintended consequence when we start moving species around to new areas?
Regardless, I don't want to spray my plants and I don't like spraying myself either. Bug on bug control seems a better route!
Wow -- I was very interested to find out what I photographed several years ago. Thank you! Click 4, 5, and 6 on the left bar on this link if you want to see 'my monster' mosquito!
http://ragnasgarden.com/images/2/2_files/frame.htm
Yes, that's our elephant mosquito!
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