West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-09-12
MOSQUITOES AND WHIP
POOR.wILI.S.
'he Latter DeNour the Former and
should be Protected In the
Good Work

There has been much discussion of late
regarding the mosquito and there is likely
to be more, for although the insect is what
might be called silent partner i'm the
argument lac generally makes antagonists
iecl the point il not see a. The plain truth
Is that many parts of this country. not
counting the klondikc and New Jersey. are
SO infested with mosquitoes. that sitting out
OF doors az night has become almost inn
possible In some places ordinary screens
are insufficient to render the windows and
doors impassablc To this annoying insect
and checSecloth has to bc used instead
which results in an atmosphere far from
agreeable in very hot weather The dcsien
of the Creator. as an sensible peoplc are
convinced, is that people should spend as
much as possible of the summer season ont
oi door but the mosquito appears not to bc
I'm harmony with Providence on that point.
lie regards all human beings caught i'm the
open air after dark as his lawful prey
The annoyance caused by the mosquito
is really one of the most serious among the
small tribulations of life The nervousness
and irritability produced by his bite
especially among children and sensitive
people, sometimes amounts to Illness. and
at any rate. his presence absolutely DESTROYS
all the romance aud delight of country life
The question is what To do about IL.
The size OF the creature and his abnor-
NAL breeding capacity are the most inpor.
tant obstacles in the way of getting rid Of
him Wild animals can be shot or trapped
hies can bc discouraged 10y screens aud bv
cleanliness Tor they will not come where
they cannot find food but the mosquito can
always find food whore there is a human
being, and the only way to escape him is TO
put ones self inside a wire cage The most
popular remedy discovered by those who
have bcstircd themselves in search of
means to get rid Of the pest is kerosene. Ii
is asserted. with truth that if pool OF
stagnant water is covered with q thin film
of kerosene the larvae of the insect will be
killed and the breeding stopped a stll
better way is to drain the pool but this
cannot always be done
To many people. however the remedy
will seem worse than the disease for the
scent of coal'oil is not exactly one of the
perfumes of Araby the blcst. and IL is I'M
conceivable that anyone should enjoy il
unless lac had been brought up near an oil
we'll aud was homcsick There is however.
another remedy much plcasantcr and more
effective. \ sharp.cycd New York orni-
biologist has discovered that the salt
mcadowlands of the Great South Bay Of
Long Island probably breed more mos
quitoes than any other place la the world
yet the neighbors are not troubled simply
because the yellow martin or swallow Is
bred in great quantities In that region.
and these birds live on mosquitoes and
other insects. The night hawk or whip.
poor-will is also fond Of mosquitoes. and
IL has been found that the bird police are
worth more than all the petroleum in the
world when IL comes to getting rid of insects
Kerosene dctroys vegetation as we'll as
insects The bird eats the latter and leaves
the former intact. But Of late the immense
demand for birds In millinery has led to a
slaughter of the innocent which has almost
depopulatcd the woods as far as the bird
population Is concerned. Hence mosquitoes.
Hence rose bugs Hence potato bugs
Hence all kinds of insect pests which finding
themselves undisturbcd 10y their natural
enemies. proceed tolmulupIy like compound
interest
The problem therefore reduces itself to
this form DO the people Of this country
prefer to see womcn's hats adorned with
dead birds. while the owners fight mos
quitocs and the farmer and gardener fight
insects. or do they prefer to see the hats
decorated with ribbons and artificial
flowers or ostrich plumes. while the bird in
his natural state, ornaments the gardens
and roadsidos In the intervals Of catching
noxious insects Is the artistic object
produced by shooting and stulhng purple
martin, and impaling him with a hatpin.
upside down in the middle Of q tanglc Of
ribbons worth the trouble Of fighting "a
million mosquitoes more or less IN the
course Of the summer II il is not. IL Is
about time that the legislatures Of our
several States looked into this mattcr and
passed some laws against the destruction
Of insccteating birds. Otherwise the copsc
where once the garden smiled Is likely "a
be given TO fragment Of plants covered with
bugs. and the porch cniwined with honey
suckles. about which poets love to write.
will be rendered uninhabhablc to unpro.
tcCtcd poet arms