The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-24
FACTS ABOUT MOSQUITOES.
Means Used to Get Rid of the PestiF-
erOus Insects.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
The musical mosquito, the sanguinary
night serenader. does not figure as large
Nv in seashore and mountain literature os
has been his won't for many years. Have
anv of you noticed that fact? Yet surely
the MOSQUITO poet has not lost his Guns
ming not the insect his hood thristiness,
yet no wall comes from the Atlantic surge
or the pine-laden breezes of the Adiron-
dacks bemoaning life made miserable by
the long-legged insect whose bill demands
immediate payment. Why is this? Is the
mosquito. like the buffalo, becoming eX-
tinct? That is not probable, almost TOO
good to be true. 1t is possible, however,
because tive summers ago and annually
since systematic effort was made by
The proprietors of seaside and summer re
sorts to eradicate this hot weather NUT
sance. The Initiatives was taken IN that
year by NJ. ]. Wightman, the manager o
Midland Beach, Staten Island, in the
neigh borhood of which resort are wide
stretches of meadows which make a model
breeding place for mosquitoes, and so sue
cessful was their propagation that Mr..
Wightman found himself threatened with
not on.y personal absence Of skin, out
a profitless absence of visitors. He mad
read, however, the results of Investigations
made by DR.. George Dimmock of Spring
field, Mass who has earned a weil-de>
sePvel reputation as an authority on Chc
entire mosquito outfit. Acting upon one
of DIR. Dimmock's suggestions, Mr.. Wight
man poured four barrels OF crude petrol
cum upon the water which recent heavy
rains had gathered in pools in the vicinity
of his property. Within few days the
mosquitoes had almost entirely disap-
peared.
DR.. Dimmockg narration regarding this
Internal pest is worth listening TO. 1t
may not relieve the torture inflicted. but
It adds 10 the interest that we are an
bound to take in one Of searching disposi-
lion. The mosquito breeds in the wafer.
When the female is about TO lay her eggs
she chooses a stagnent pool and shapes
the batch of eggs so that they float on top.
After few days a little tish-like animal
emerges from the bottom Of each egg.
Every one who has looked into rain tub
on a hot July day has seen these little Gre
atures wrigglng themselves through the
wafer. These are the. larvae. If one APP
breaches the tub quietly he can see them
resting a the top, seemingly hang ng head
downward from he surface Of the water.
While IN this position they are breathing
for the animal must have air as well as
water. The mosquito remains in this state
for several days when il becomes pupa.
and a few days laler the skin of the pupa
is seen to split down the back and the
winged mosquito carefully works Its way
out and stations itself on its outgrown
skin, using it as a raft while ii dries and
gets strength for its flight. It soon spreads
its wings and starts off on its mission Of
mischief. Thus the rains of the summer
season by making little pools everywhere
about the country. facilitate the propaga-
ton of the speciss--for he female has not
been Obliged 60 he herself off to some
lonely pond. These artificial pools, more
over, have the advantage OF being free