The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-09-19
MOSQUITOES.
Male Mosquitoes Drink Wine, But Stun
Deadly Kerosene.
Washington Times.

washington LINES.
Mosquitoes, the terror Of the aum-
mer pleasure seeker, the bane Of the
summer hotel keeper and the stock in
trade Of the men wke writes jokes et
the expenses of New Jersey, are the
subject Of discussion in q bulletine
recently issued by the department Of
Agriculture. l.. o. Howard, Ph.D.,
Of the division Of entomology, is the
author Of the pamphlet, which dis
closes a number Of interesting facts
heretofore not generally known about
the pestifercus insects. The question
of how to abate the nuisance caused
by the presence Of great numbers Of
mosquitoes is discussed at length, as
is also the biology and structure of
both sexes Of the insect.
The popular literature Of cntomol-
ogy is replete with instances Of the
incredible numbers in which mosqui-
toes have been found in various parts
Of the globe. Kirby and Spence, TWO
noted entomologists, refer to their ex-
periencc in Lapland. where the mos
quitoes were 80 thick as to resemble q
cloud, and it was impossible to breathe
without filing the nostrils with them.
In the Crimea war.!the Russian soldiers
were compelled to sleep in sacks to
avoid the bites Of mosquitoes, which,
at times, were 80 severe that blood
poison, resulting in death, often oc-
CURED. The insects are not confined
to any particular cline, but have been
encountered in ell zones. Travellers
in darkest Africa have suffered from
their onslaughts and remedies from
mosquito bites are usually contained
in the medicine chest Of the Alaskan
miner.
1t is a popular supposition that the
blood of warm bloodcd animals is the
/ food Of the mosquito, aud that it is
necessary for its sustenance. How
ever, this is untrue. Millions Of the
insects are bred and die in places
where no animal ever comes. Mos
quitoes seem to subsist on any kind Of
food, and often seemingly on nothing
at all. In one case the insects were
observed under microscope to sip at
drops of water, and cases Of fondness
for molasses have been recorded. The
idea Of mosquito becoming intoxicat-
ed seems absurd, but, in letter from
q resident Of the British West Indies,
Q case Of that nature is cited. The
correspondent writes:
"The males are very fond Of wine,
and almost every day can catch one
or two always males-on the neck Of
decanter or in wine glass that has
just been used. I put a few mosqui-
toes under bell.jar one day in order
to watch them. I put single drop
| Of port wine under the jar, as I had
heard that mosquitoes could be kept
alive for long time on vine. When
l went to look at them few hours
later / found them all apparently dead,
so ! put them in o dry bottle, intend
ing to pin them later. When I went
to pin them shortly afterward they
were all staggering about in the most
ridiculous manner-they we're drunk"
In addition to the general annoyance
caused by the insects there is source
Of real danger that attends from their
presence. 1t has been demonstrated
by medical authorities that mosquitoes
can and often do draw the maiariai
germ from person afflicted with ma
larial fever and deposit it in the blood
Of healthy individual. This fact
may account for the spread Of malaria,
decidedly noncontagious complaint,
in regions where omosquitocs are most
numerous and at times Of year when
they are most troublesome.
Regions that abound in lowiands
and are dotted with small pools Of
stagnant water and bits of marsh land
(both prime breeding places for the
mosquito larvae) are, more than other
| places, infested with mosquitoes.