Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Insects of Cedar Creek

Order DIPTERA

Family CULICIDAE

(Mosquitoes)

(Table of Species)

The Mosquitoes (150 NA spp) are familiar to all who work at or visit Cedar Creek.  47 species are reported for Minnesota with an additional 32 species occurring in neighboring states (Barr, 1958).  More than 10 have been collected at Cedar Creek, and serious work would easily double this number. Larvae are aquatic filter-feeders, and the females require a blood meal before laying eggs. Males seem much rarer, but can be found at flowers.

Most vexing for inhabitants of Cedar Creek are species of Aedes, particularly Aedes vexans, which is on the buzz from late spring to first frost. Other species collected include: Anopheles spp, Culex spp, Culiseta spp, Coquillettidia perturbans, Mansonia sp, and Wyeomyia smithii. The last mentioned species breeds in pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea) at the perimeter of Beckman Lake.

REFERENCES
Barr, AR (1958).  The Mosquitoes of Minnesota (Diptera: Culicidae). U/MN Ag Expt Sta Tech Bull 228.

jhaar@lter.umn.edu Last updated May, 2000