The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-01
MOSQUITOES AND MALARIA.
How to Extirpate the One and Prevent the
Other.

Other.
Though most people possess a SNEAK
ing acquaintance with the MOSQUITO
few are really we'll informed as TO her
she is generally Ct the tender sex-fam-
lily history. Mosquito is the diminfrjye
OF mosca, which is Spanish for fly. The
English more commonly call them quats.
Scientifcally the mosquito belongs 10 the
Order Diptera and five different genera.
About 100 distinct species are known Of
winch . species occur in the United
States. In North Carolina we find twelve
or fifteen species, OF which only four are
very common. Although mosquitoes oc-
cur in swarms of countless millions of
individuals, the number of Worldwide
distribution. The mosquito is the CHIEF
insect prosecutor Of men and animals
ankle IN the frozen north and the tOrrif
zone.
Cur more common mosquitoes belong to
the true genera culeX and anopheles. The
latter is the larger and more blood
thirsty. 1t is also for reasons which will
be given presently the most dangerous
genus.
The specific names. Of the more common
species OF mosquito are eloquently de
ScrlptlVe of the creatures habits. We
nave punctof, ~pungens stemulaus. prov
ocans, perturbanS. empatiens. impIaca-
plllS, and damascus. Mosquitoes are
aquaotic insects during the laeval period.
They are the ~'wrigglers" seen in stag
nant water. The adult female Laws her
eggs in masses Of 200 to 400 upon the
surface Of still water. She never ~ovipos-
It's on maving water. The eggs are cover
ed by a waterproof cement which kepps
thm perfectly dry They are usually de-
Iosltled at night CT in very early morning.
The eggs hatch in II to is hours. accord
ing tc temperature. The young mageot
IS very active from is birth. 1t feeds
upon algae and other vegetable matter
It finds in the water. Though living in
the water the maggot breathes air
through a horn-like process near the
TAI. The iarval stage continues for from
I'VE 10 seven days according to season.
- then transforms to the pupal stage
curing which il is quiet and floats about
on or near surface. The pupaI stage lasts
TWO days. The skin then bursts and the
winged insect issues. At first the crea-
lures wings are soft and wet and If Il
to fly. It rests until dry on its
bufst larVal skin as on a frail raft. If
the water is even very slightly rufhed
ne rate is almost certain to be overturned
and the creature browns. Hence the
avoidance of rapidly moving water bv
the mother insect.
The life period of the male mosquito
IS only 3 or 4 days. The female Iivae
about two weeks in summer. But a few
sraVid females CT each species hibernate
n hollow trees raNac ca1lar- -
Lhese propagate the species the follow
Ing spring. Although mosuuitoes never
MISS a chance TO partake of red blood
not one out of ten million ever tastes
ms dellcacy. Their normal food is The
zap OF the rank growing marsh plants.
common when mosquitoes abound. {
Inc pain of the mosquito bite is chiefly
tc an acid poison which the creatrre z
h]ects-probably with a view to making 6
ne blcod or sap flow more easily. There
ire numerous palliatiyes for the nain
inong the best are oils of pennyroya1
nu laVehdar and crude creosote. Rubbing &
Win the freshly cut surface of a garlic
love or strong onion also gives relief
salve made by macerating fresh oarlio
ehhyroyal or lavendar leaves and
TENS IN lard is both a preventive
no q palliative for insect bites. Few in
ectS VIII allght upon a hand or face
men mas been rubbed with such saIya
eople living in sections where MOSQUITOES
pound should grow patches of these
lantS 10 make salve and use ii freely
pom themselves and their cattle.
physicians have been led 10 euS-
mat me mosquito or at least one
ehus-Anophetes. is an Intermediates
W ol Jile pfOtCZOan parasite. which III -
ie human body causes malaria. aeue or
ms ana feVer. Euto2loIogists. who are {
sHerdily also entomophilists are loath \
, peileVe such an evil report of this
'mlllar insect. They are disposed IL !
ok upon this as case of the dog and !
40 name. "E as no friends, it i'm q
ro. but the British government has /
sent a scientific expedition to s
&c malarIous district of Sierra Leone in {
lrlca and the party claims to have dem
lSlraled the necessary connection he {
'een the mesquite and the malarial 4
The mosquito most active IL IL
II the sole carrier of the infection il \
lopheles. Of this genus We have Two (
ecles very common in the southern
ateS wherever malaria abOunds. Tho -.
of the apparent connection .
tween these insects and prevalence of -
alaria is enc of very great practical i'm =
rtance to the people OF North Carolina >.