Mochlonyx velutinus (Ruthe) (Diptera: Culicidae), an Occasional Predator of Mosquito Larvae

Though various species of the genus Mochlonyx Loew are known to be predacious on mosquitoes, there are only a few records of M. velutinus (Ruthe) (= M. culiciformis (DeG.)) in this role. According to Meinert (1886) the larvae of this species feed on the crustaceans Cypris and Daphnia in Denmark. At Churchill, Manitoba, Hocking et al. (1950) considered it the most abundant chaoborine in both open forest and tundra pools but did not specify its feeding habits. Twinn (1926) and Curtis (1953), however, referred to it definitely as a predator of mosquito larvae.