New-York tribune., 1903-03-29
They've found the bug
That eats the bug
That fights the bug
That bites US.


So writes one In a current weekly devoted to
humor regarding the alleged discovery by d DE-
Denopwolf Of Berlin that there is aquatic IN
sect which preys upon the mosquito of the brand
Ano3hcles. This German professor Is said TO De
cultivating the parasite with the expectation o.
Kidding humanity of the pest and with him the
malarial germs which scientists tell he carries
about with him. In the mean time. while the
German professor is pCrfectinS his plans Tor the
determination of the mosquito. the people OF the
United States, or least few Of them living on
Long Island have taken the matter into their own
hands They have found bug that fights
the bug that bites US" but they have learned how
to beard the mosquito in his lair.
Many people have ridCuled the idea of eHterHd-
mating the mosquito. looking upon it resembling
the task OF Sisyphus. No wonder they have taken
this attitude when scientists declare that the de-
scendents OF a single mosquito In the course of
season, which live long enough to become murder
ers of sleep-and fully half of the total number
meets with timely death-number lS6.13l. 100
Ones muscles would be and his flesh fayed in
the effort to be rid of them by the ordinary method
In several communities last summer the inhabitants
took the mosquito by the proboScS, turned him face
about and. without taking the trouble to tell him
that he a nuisance and his company not want
ed. kicked him out. They did it scientifically and
they think they have learned how to keep him out
permanently.
For two years past the people along the sandy
north shore of Lons Island nave been experiment.
ing with remedies. and with much success. Last
undertook the determination Of the mosquitoes
which infested that community. The work was
done under the direction of the Board OF Health
One would not consider a village almost on the
shore of Jamaica Bay favoraby situat ted for the
experiment. The effort, however sufficiently
successful TO justify it, and the people are greatly
encouraged in the belief that the pest could be
wiped out far Lawrence was concerned
There are a number of different brands or mos
quitoes For instance there is the Anophees ma
culipennis This is the which distributes chlAS
and fever. Then there is the CuleX solicitans the
salt marsh mosquito This one Is more active ana
vicious than the Anophees, the fresh water variety
The Cuex pungens. sordid mosquito. as II Is Ia
milarly and Contemptuously called. IS all ana
more than is implied by the definition OF 'Sordld
found in the most complete dictionary Mdhhdi-
tan is one OF homes. Its birthplace IS any pool
Of filthy water. The damp earth OF the subway
&c = favorite breeding pace. 1t is seldom seen in
the daytime but the villanous creature that enters
YOUR bedroom window after nghtfall with her dc-
cursed song is the Culex pungens. 1t is the te-
male which goes about on these predatory expo
ditions One need not fear the male
Down in Lawrence two Of these species, the Ano-
pheles and the Culex solicitans were to be found
Lawrence lies between Jamaica Bay on the north
and the Atlantic Ocean the south. and occupies
a strip Of land, from to two miles wide eA-
tending northeast and southwest. and bordered on
each side by wide stretches of salt marsh Fortu-
nately FOR the health Of Lawrence, the AnophclcS
were not bred there in large quantities. because "f
the few opportunities for fresh water TO staEnate
The citizens co-operated by preventing water from
becoming stagnant on their premises 1t was OBJ
travellers with the wind, and that they appeared
at regular intervals Ine dlreGu4h Tr 'ne arT nf
the village to be assailed by d cloud ot the
aboSt falf mile day and 10 house than
two miles to the leeWard OF a oreealns S%tHF @ ny
the creatures 1t was not safe 10 creep around ma
long grass in the wake OF the & %lnI on '[ Tor "i fbT
Of which the inyadin army mad rid6ns 6 is M tb
Lawrence speaking generally. Is divided into two
1t from the south and southwest The part OF @ the
mediatey exposed to invasionS from the south ana
these points. while the part lying the northwest
Is directly exposed TO inyasions from the Ja:ndict
cay all the mosquitoes @ by III, name Of Culex
solicitans could be traced to these winds. The
southwest and the winds seldom brought the
and northeast winds We're usually a little too rapid
NoS % ssd the peops ' of ITrence after
Ing the ground oyer sSentiticaliy the problem IS
southeast and northwest OF the village and the
sci about the task, Had the breeding Of The mos
marshes. with their thousands of of territory
the men who have attempted to break the hank at
ne obss6yation e PTqfessoF John smith, STATE
tans lays her eggs. not in the water. but on the
mud at the roots of the grass. proved TO be true
This particular brand. 1t found. breeds only
along the edges of the uplandS, in the stagnant
pools LETT by the retreat Of the monthly tides. The
ready to hatch out into "wrigglers Immediately
coming into contact with water OF the right tenn
perature Tides OF unusual height were. therefore.
20 be dreaded. for in sweeping the mud flats
they converted millions OF eggs awaiting their
kindly mintstrations into the deteSted plague When
the tide retired It left water in the pockets and
aepressions along the edge OF the uplands, and
mere the little villains grew up to ne big
Villains and planned their forays. undisturbed by
fne ne normal tides; This the Board Of Health of
Lawrence decided was the for the sudden
ana spontaneous appearance In the spring before
any adults appeared of large broods of larye also
LOT the simultaneous advent OF such large guam
Gtles at intervals through the summer. We
eet RID OF the pools left by the tides said the
eeoard That viii rid US of the pest. for we have
aound that that black scum of the earth the larve
are not to be found where the tide has free play
90 tney planned to dig bitches They secured a
waking delegate. who went about telling the men
Wnere to put their feet the tops OF the spades.
snd IN the course Of the summer they had dug
a.cnes covering six miles of shore line and about
ono hundred thousand feet long at the modest ex-
Pense OF about 81 100
q. mere must have been some compensation Cor all
Sne Inonght and labor expended in the sight which
arequentiy greeted the eyes of those watching the
VIPSehnS OF these pools to the free OF the
OIten when the last sod had been lifted the
n 20 mosquitoes, thousands OF them. In a black
nrasS coutd plainly be swept into the
creeks with the released water ~
The results of this work were manifest IN apv
u.I1 . "Ito hao visited Lawrence in previous sum-
nerE- n races near the points where ditchIng had
Deen oohs were free from mosquitoes The lawns
EVo"'"B o0Wn TO the edges Of the marsh we're SO