The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-08-14
FIGHT AGAINST
THE MOSQUITO

dhGC COdSl mas vastly increased IN
possible breeding-grounds for the mos
quito, and the result has been an un'
usual development of that annoying
pest. amounting IN places to what tbs
newspapers call "scourge" In spite
of this, entomologists are quite certain
that mosquitoes can be practically ex.
terminated in localities that possess the
two requisites of patience and money
How this may be done is explained
briefly by DR.. F. ]. Otis in Good Health
(July). Says this writer:
Mosquitoes live and multiply where
there is an abundance of water. and
subsist upon the Juices of plants. The
| female has a very strong beak, so she
can penetrate the firmer plant struc-
/ ture in search of food; but the male
has not so strong a beak. and so sub
sists on the more juicy plants
THE female lays her eggs on the
surface of quiet or stagnant water. in
little RATS composed Of the cigar-shap-
| ed eggs standing on end. The general
color is a light gray or almost white
on the upper side. while if they are OBJ
served from the lower side, they are
of siIvery appearance. The raft is
concave above and convex below, so
that it is really miniature boat. The
eggs float about on the water for but
few hours. a day or two at the long
est, when they hatch, producing little
larvae. These vary somewhat accord
ing to the different kinds of mosquitoes,
but they are really not water-insects in
the strict sense, for they have a breath
ing-apparatus. and can not live below
the surface for more than ten or ff-
teen minutes.
1.-The most Of their food is obtained at
the surface. They lie there with their
breathing-tubes just above the surface
of the water. and manipulate the lit
tie ella about their mouths in such
way that current of water is brought
past the mouth, which brings to them
little insects and particles of foods
that are floating upon the surface.
"It is in this stage of the MOSQUITOES |
life that the scientist takes charge of !
the little fellow to destroy him and the |
future generations. If kerosene or some |
ply material is poured on the surface !
Of the water, il can be readily seen 1
hat these little fellows viii thrust their
up into the oil, and |
get oil instead of air. 1t also destroys
their food-supply, as the little particles
Of food will float on the oil instead of
water. so that they can neither eat nor
breathe, and must die. 1t takes very
small quantity of oil to accomplish
his"
In the pupa form, which is the mos 4
Iuito's next stage of existence. the in
sects, instead of living in the water
and breathing through the air-tube
near the tail, have two tubes like ears
extending from the side of the head, Il
20 that when they are close to the sur
lace these tubes project into the air
above. IN this form the insect gen.
orally remains near the surface, but
has a powerful tail by which it can
over itself to the bottom of the pond.
Here again, we are told. oil may be
lsed to destroy the insects. After only
few days in this form, the mosquito
s liberated to seek his home among the
caves of the swamp vegetation. To
Iuote again:
Mosquitoes do not travel very far.
they live and die within a half-mile
# their birthplace, unless some very
trong wind carries them away or they
'et entrapped in some cargo and are
hus removed to other parts.
1T has been difficult for scientists to
ully appreciate this fact, as many
OcaIities far removed from water had
% many mosquitoes; but careful in
estigation has shown that mosquitoes
multiply very rapidly in cans contain
ng water. and in little pools that have
ormed in the tracks of domestic ami
nails about the barnyard and in SINH
ar places. Whenever freshly broken
round is left rough. so that these :
ools form more readily than before,
mosquitoes are noticed to increase very !
realty in numbers. Under these cir
they seem to go through
he various forms so very rapidly that
vessel that will hold water for from
to forty-eight hours will 1
make the multiplication of mosquitoes
ossible, and as one mosquito will lay
rom two to four hundred eggs it can
e readily seen that in the course Of
hree or four days we could have from
hree to four hundred times as many
about the locality as exist
& previously.
ITO rid ourselves Of these little nui-
ances. all that is necessary is to see
hat all these cans are upturned. the
title low places are filled up, and that
10 water remains in the caves troughs | :
T rain-barrels about the premises. II
hese conditions can be controlled
within three hundred yards of our
we can practically control
mosquitoes about our homes
During the winters, the pupae form
-oes into the pitcher-plants and into
protected places in the grass OF the
wamps where il may be frozen up
ompletely. but in the spring they thaw
ut and continue their life uninjured
The adult mosquitoes that are over
aiken by the cold weather seek shelter
stone bridges, in cellars Of
ouses, always where there is some wa