The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-10-05
SUMMER INSECT PESTS.
HOW TO PROTECT THE HOUSE FROM
THESE ANNOYANcES

latOr-Flies the Domestic Scavepyers-
Chalk and Red Pepper Used for Ants
When the wilderness begins to bios
som as the rose it is a good thing t.
Keep in mind the insect nuisances tha
come with the blossoms. Among thes.
as most important may be considered
the pestiferous mosquito. the nois!
lly, the active ant and the willy spider
Not alone on the highways and hedge:
DO these small creatures seek theil
prey, but. with a devotion which man
KIND has never appreciated, they ain
10 become lodgers in every residence
IN the countryside. The social quail
ltles of the mosquito and the fly. while
they may have some high altruistic
significance, are far from appreciated
by man in his present stage of spirit
ual development. Indeed. the intro
Besides the aforementioned insect
has gone far toward breaking up many
happy home. Men and women OF
otherwise placid dispositions have
been reduced to savagery after en-.
forced attendance at one of the mid
night feasts and musicales for which
the mosquito is famed. and fly In the
butter has helped swell the records
OF the divorce courts to an extent
which students Of social conditions
might find amazing.
Besides the aforementioned insect
brigands the roach and the bedbug are
to be reckoned with in early spring,
and the sand flea is also abroad in the
land. awaiting whom he may devour
There is not neighborhcod any
where that can claim immunity from
insect annoyers.
Before the 1st Of May every win
dow in the house should be covered
with screens of wire. If possible. or
OF cotton netting when tho wire
frames are beyond the means of the
family. These frames will keep out
both flies and mosquitoes. and If they
have never been tried the comfort OF
using them cannot be appreciated.
Country people and those who live
on the outskirts of town where there
are vacant spaces in which pools Of
water accumulate after a rain are es-
pecially open to attac,.s from mos
quitoes. The little creatures breed
In water. and the more stagnant it is
the better they like 1t.
Those who live near lakes or other
small bodies Of water have to be par
ticularly wary of the mosquito. It ar
rives about the 1st of May and raises
several families before a final disap-
pearance. The actual life of mos
quito is about 80 days. but it is ac-
i've in the work of bloodsucking for
only about six days. 1t is the female
that Is troublesome. She
orowls abroad at night plying the
.rade OF midnight assassin. while the
male mosquito stays quietly at home,
respectable vegetarian, wita q de.
,ent aversion to the ruby beverage
hat sends his spouse reeling home
It all hours Of the morning.
Mosquito screens on the windows
md doors and canopies over the beds
ire the only protection II regions
where mosquitoes are very trouble.
ome. White netting makes the hand
omest canopies, but the green ones
re perhaps more serviceable.
Once the pests have got into the
louse there are number of ways of
them. One is to close
II windows and doors in the room
There they are suspected of lurking
nd to burn pyrothrum powder. The
owder should be moistened and
ounded into little cones for convent
nee in igniting. The cones are
ghted at the apex and burn slowly,
ling the room with a dense smoke,
7hich is death to the mosquitoes. Two
r three cones will clear a room of
but beyond being a trifle
auseating the powder has no i'll effect
n human beings.
When the marauders can be seen
erchei upon the ceiling the best way
} settle accounts with them is to
pply the kerosene cup. This Is
ome-made apparatus, consisting Of
hallow tin cup or can cut off at the
,p and nailed to broom handle.
he kerosene. to a depth of an inch
r two, is poured into the
an and the cup is raised
irectly under the mosquito,
hich. rendered limp and senseless by
,e odor, drops into the fluid This is
etter than f1outing the insects with
towel, tho custom OF the unhappy
Ousenolder who desperately arises at
lidnight.
Camphor, pennyroyal and citronella,
smearei over the face and hands in
nall quantities. will keep off flies,
osquitoes and f1eas. They are there
,re useful adjuncts to an afternoon
ak on the seashore, where all of
lese torments are more or less active.
IL Of tar, lemon juice and peppermint
le mosquitoes also find obnoxious.
or relief from the stings glycerine,
digo and ammonia are recon-
ended
Flies are the scavengers Of the
1usehold. They eat up the refuse that
ould otherwise breed disease. The
est remedy for flies is absolute clean.
ness, combined with screens to keep
1t tramp insects from other neighbor-
3ods In the shops are sold fly pa