I work in an entomology department with a bunch of mosquito people. I’ve recently moved my office from the main department to the mosquito building. I was in the mosquito ID specialist’s room when I noticed a cage full of adult Toxorhynchites amboiensis mosquitoes. Tox are the stuff of nightmares, being humongous and scary-looking, but they’re not bloodfeeders. (See the size difference from typical larvae here.) Apparently, their enormous size allows them to get enough energy from plants to produce eggs. So I see them cavorting around in this sterile cage and a light goes off: I need a Tox Terrarium on my desk.
Here’s the terrarium.
Here’s the inhabitants: Tallulah and Tobias. Tobias sports a pair of feathery antennae, all the better to find Tallulah. Tallulah likes to drink raisin juice. When they were first put in the cage, they had a hard time negotiating the dirt floor. They’d fall into a ditch and spaz out, legs waving wildly. I once thought Tobias had exported to a flat file, but when I shone a light on him, he jerked awake and toddled off.
I’ll bore you with a home movie of Tallulah’s egg-laying dance after I get to work (forgot to upload it). BTW, these mozzies are loud. I can hear them now: geeeeeeek…geeeeeeeeeeek
Cool! Can’t you edge in a pencil or ruler or something for a size-comparison photo?
I’ll give that a try! I may have to cool the room a bit as they’re a bit “flighty.”
I decided to do the comparison with mosquitoes that folks are more familiar with: Tox vs Aedes vs Ochlerotatus and a penny. It was easier than trying to get a live Tox to pose next to Abe.
Also, here’s the egg-laying dance (http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~lreed/toxdance.wmv) It’s about 350kB. It shows Tallulah holding her front legs up, and looking as if she got caught in a web that’s in a breeze. Actually, she’s flying in an oval pattern, and she shoots eggs out into a container (either a treehole or a bromelliad). You can’t really see her shoot the egg because the movie was taken with a crappy Mavica.
Toxorhynchites, besides being the gorgeous creatures that they are, are also predatory. They hunt other mosquito larvae. They’re also a bit cannabalistic. Sibling rivalry with a flourish.
I admire your love of 'skeeters, brachy, but do not share it. If one of those things flys around here he’ll quickly be de-toxed.
Okay, clearly I need to up the ante and show you all that Tox is your friend, your pal, and an asset in your time of need when under duress from other skeeters.
These lovely, delicate creatures are **mosquito KILLERS ** . When Tallulah and Tobias were but wee little first-stage larvae, their ruthless nature came to light. CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP on anything in their watery domicile, the indomitable eating machines grew and grew and GREW and GREW. Second, third, and fourth stage larvae same as the first: see a larvae, eat it up! CHOMP, there goes a Culex pipiens mosquito larvae and one less contributor to the West Nile amplification cycle. CHOMP, a Culiseta melanura larvae meets its maker and lessens the Eastern Equine encephalitis load. CHOMP, an Ochlerotatus triseriatus punches the 80-column card (and good-riddence since their bites are real ouchers). Okay, so the melanura is a stretch, but you get the picture.
Tallulah and Tobias grow larger with each successive larval stage. Eventually, their killing mania subsides, and they transform into apparently quiescent pupa. In reality, this is the most metamorphic of all stages as Tallulah and Tobias drop their larval love of feasting on friends and became the beautiful nectar feeders that grace my terrarium now.
Actually, make that “graced.” I can’t seem to find either of them today. sigh
Well don’t look at me!!! I was just, uhm,…clapping. Clapping!!! 'Cause of your great skeeter speech. It was wonderful.
Anybody know how to get nectar stains out of a shirt sleeve?
:eek: 
Aw, I just wanted to show another side of mosquito life.
Well, at first I was going to suggest that you get out more, develop some interests or somethin’, but damn brachy, that was funny!
