The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-10-18
SONG OF THE MOSQUITO.
Some Facts About y Very Interesting
Summer CreaturP.

some Facts About Very Interesting q
Summer Creaturf.
There are in existence 150 species OF
the mosquito, the larger kinds being
found mostly in tropical regions where
every thing pestiferous attains the ut
most size. In the Southern States some
very big varieties of mosquitoes are
found. According to the stories told by
natives, these gallinippers arc some.
times found sitting in rows, like snipe,
along the fence-rails by the roadside.
1t is very certain that they do grow to
be more than half an inch in body
length, and they find no difficulty in in
ficting their bites through thick
woolen coat and flannel shirt beneath.
Every ono feels more or less OF a per.
sonal interest in the mosquito and some-
thing about her life history can not be
otherwise than interesting. Doubtless
| you are aware that it is only the female
which bites, the male not being equipped
with beak suitable for the purpose.
She lays her eggs in little boat-shaped
mass on the surface of still water and
they are hatched out into little "wrig-
glers" that navigate the water actively
until they are ready to make their APP
pearance in the world in hedged condi.
tion. When the wriggler considers that
he has wriggled long enough and is
prepared for graduation from water into
air, 1T comes to the surface and proceeds
quietly to extricate itself from its skim
After it has accomplished this process
1T uses the cast-of skin as raft and
stands upon it out of the water while it
dries its wings. This is the danger
point in the mosquitoes life, for the
slightest breath of wind that ripples
the water is likely to upset the little
raft and drown the unfortunate pas
senger. But, no such unhappy accident
occurring, Miss Mosquito, as soon as her
wings arc dry and stiff enough to fly
with, abandons her float and fits airily
away, first, however, depositing her
eggs on top of the water, they in turn to
produce more mosquitoes. This is an
ingenious scheme on the part of nature
to prevent the possibility of such mis-
fortune as the mosquitoes dying out.
For now that her eggs have been laid it
will not interfere with the reproduction
of the species il Miss Mosquito should
chance to be killed by well-aimed slap
or otherwise.
Now, the male mosquito, realizing
that he is of no earthly use, save for
continuing his species, does not make
any appearance in society, but stays in
the woods or other secluded places until
he dies, which is not long, because he
never eats any thing. His female rela-
tives, however, seek inhabited dwell
ings and hunt for gore. 1t does not
appear entirely certain that this blood
sucking habit of the mosquito is an en-
tirely normal one. Not only is it un-
necessary to the continuation of the
creatures life, but some authorities
imagine that a single gorge Of blood
causes the death of the mosquito for
want of powers to digest it. The mos
quito has projecting from its nose five
long needles, which it masses together
in the shape of an awl and thrusts the
point into the flesh of its victim. The
five needles thus put together form
sort of tube, through which the pest
sucks up the blood. 1t has long been
believed that the mosquito introduces
into the blood, when biting, poisonous
fluid, for the purpose of making tho
blood more liquid, so that it may flow
with greater freedom; but this has never
been demonstrated scientifically, and in
all probability it is not true, inasmuch
as no poisonous glands have ever been
found among the animals organs. Two
of the five needles are barbed at the
ends, and it is surmised that these may
cause the irritation consequent upon
bite. There are plenty of authenticated
cases where human beings have been
killed by mosquito bites. Men have
been known to be driven to commit sui
eide to escape the mosquito torture. -
h;