The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-04-10
soNe or THE MOSQUITO.
BoEne Facts About q Very Interest," Q
Summer Creature,

Sonne Facts About Very Interesting
Summer Creature.
There are in existence $50 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 are 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
dieting their bites through thick
wooden coat and flannel shirt beneath.
Every one 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 Matched out into little ''wrig-
glers' that navigate the water actively
until they are ready to make their APP
pearance in the world in fedged condi.
ton. When the wriggler considers that
he has wriggled long enough and is
prepared for graduation from water into
air, it comes to the surface and proceeds
quietly to extricate itself from its skin.
After it has accomplished this process
1t uses the cast-off skin as a 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 pass
senger. But, no such unhappy acctdens
occurring, Miss Mosquito, as soon as her
Wings are dry and stiff enough to fly
with, abandous her float and fits airily
away, first however, depositing her
eggs on top of the water, they Ia turn to
produce mere mosquitoes. This is an
Ingenious scheme on the part of nature
to prevent the possibility of such mis-
fortune as the mosquitoes dying out.
FQE nov that heE eggs have been lag 1t
of the species If Miss Mosquito should
ehsnce.te be killed by well-aimed slap
or othegBiser
Now, the male mosquito, realizing
that he is Of no earthly use, save for
continuing his species, does not make
anv appearance In society, but stays in
the woods or other secluded places until
he dies. which is not long, because ne
neyes eats any thing. His female reia;
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 ono. Not only Is Il III
necessary to the continuation OF tbs
creature's life, but some authorized
imagine that q single gorge OF blood
causes the death of the mosquito fol
want Of powers to digest it. The mos
quito has projecting from It's nose five
long needles, which 1t masses together
in the shape of an awl and thrusts the
point into the flesh Of it's victim. The
Ave needles THUS put together form {
sort OF tube, through which the pes
sucks up the blood. 1t has long beer
believed that the mosquito introduces
into the blood, when biting, a poisonou!
fluid, for the purpose Of making the
blood more liquid, so that it may flow
). with greater freedom; but this has neve
D been demonstrated scientifically, and IL
< all probability 1t is not true, inasmuCl
/, as no poisonous glands have eyer pee1
+ found among the animals organs. Tw'
. of the Ave needles are barhed at thu
b, ends, and it is surmised that these ma.
2 cause the irritation consequent upon
+ bite. There are plenty of authenticate
cases where human beings have beef
o killed by mosquito bites Men hav'
= been known to be driven to commit sui
i eide to escape the mosquito torture. =
(, Washington Star.