Newport weekly independent., 1903-03-26
BUFFALO GNATS
 HAVE ARRIVED. floot Pest Puts In Early Appearance In This Section.-Great Menace To Stock And Even Wild
 Animals.
BUFFALO GNATS

The buffalo gnat, which always comes in the wake of high stage of
 water, has already appeared. The
 pest will be worse this year than for several years, and unless the owners
 exercise care and judgment the losses ot horses, COWS and mules will be ex-
 tenslVe, Although preventive re-
 medies are plentiful and efficient
 they must be used in time.
 The gnats are appearing very early,
 and those who realize their destructive ability are taking prompt action
 against them. It has been two years
 since the pest appeared to any extent
 worthy of notice, but the people are i not without experience in contendjnp with it.
 Scientists are not all agreed as to
 the origin of the gnats, but there is no disagreement as to their coming after every flood stage of the river. They are worst i'll the bottom sections. but are not confined there. Farmers in the highlands also have to contend
 With them and will have that to do this time because of the very wet ! season. A prominent planter said yesterday that no man could tell just
 where they came from, but they seemed to generate on the branches
 and about the leaves of trees. They
 increase rapidly and in a few days the air may be almost filled with them. MODE OF ATTACK.
 The little insect is about the size of
 mosquito and has a very large head ] compared to it's body. It does it's dam age by biting the animal attacked and literally loading the body of it's victim with poison, causing considerable swelling. The animals are attacked by the gnats first about the nostrils, ears and Hanks and then all over the 1 body. The onslaught is so sudden and
 with such force that the victims lie down on the ground and attempt to get relief in that way. If they see any smoke q break is made in that direction, as smoke will drive away the gnats. Animals seem to know by intuition that smoke will bring relief.
 and they will go for miles if smoke is seen. Deer are not immune from the biting of the gnats, and frequently go
 to settlers house if they see smoke. The gnats get in under the hair of n mi, lc Sometimes an animal will succumb in
 twelve hours and again it may live for several days, but unless remedies to prevent attacks are used death generally ensues. Occasionally later
 remedies bring relief, but this is the fexception.
 Numerous remedies are used by owners of stock, consisting principally
 of oils, grease, tar and various other things to stick the hair close to the
 skin and keep the gnats from reach ing the skin. Smoking fires are built at frequent intervals by teamsters,
 and this enables them to do any work
 at all. The pest attacks man also, but
 not with the seriousness of result with
 which they attack animals.
 The quickness with which the gnats
 have appeared and the prospect of their remaining at least two weeks is giving much concern, and the sale of
 remedies will increase rapidly in the
 next day or two. The great losses of 1 the flood seasons of 1897 -98 will hardly
 be duplicated, as the handling of
 the pest is better understood than formerly Memphis News.