Ecology of the biting midge Leptoconops albiventris in French Polynesia. II. Location of breeding sites and larval microdistribution.

The habitat of the immature stages of Leptoconops albiventris de Meijere (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) was found to be in beach sand located above the high tide level near creeping vegetation. The immatures were restricted to a narrow strip and most occurred in the upper 6 cm of sand. Within a given breeding site, larvae were aggregated in their distribution. Eggs were layed on the bare sand surface, from which the larvae apparently dispersed to the plant-covered sand and to deeper strata, before returning to the surface for pupation and emergence. The nature of these breeding sites suggests that it is possible to control L. albiventris populations. Recovery of immature stages from sand samples by a flotation method is described.