The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-04-27

I, filing is not at hand, is to drain 1t
out The larvae and eggs cannot
stand thorough drying and in the fu-
ture the place cannot act as breed
ing place with the absence of water.
II it is not feasible TO either I'LL or
drain the breeding place then two
more methods remain; "a the coal
oil treatment on the surface or if for
any reason that cannot be done Ga
trough used for watering stock for e2-
ample). CD the introduction of fish
known to be feeders on the young OF
mosquitoes.
The coal oil method, widely under
stood, consists of applying to the sur
face of water in the breeding places
a sufficient amount of coal oil to
spread evenly over the surface. The
manner in which this is effective in
destroying the young mosquitoes will
be pointed out in the illustrations to
follow. 1t is sufficient to remind you
in this connection that the larvae are
air-breathing and must come to the
surface of the water to obtain the air.
The oil in no manner affects the water
for use where the water is drawn on
from the bottom.
NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE MOS
I QUITO.
I I consider the dragon-fies or mos
quito-hawks" as they are locally
known, to be the most effectual enemy
we have here Of the mosquito. In
searching the swampy places about
Honolulu for the larvae Of the mos
touito it was not unusual to dip up
with the same dipperful OF water the
larvae of the mosquito and the
hymphs or young of the dragon-hy and
lying in myriads over the places
dould be seen the adult dragon-tly.
hThis is significant when it is known
that the dragon-fy is predaceous in
both the young and adult stages, the
young drason-hy, an aquatic insect,
feeding on the larvae of the mosquito
in the water and the adult preying on
the winged mosquito in the air. This
strong flying and beautiful insect is
met with at all elevations. 1 have
seen it on the top of Mt. Tantalus as
well as at the other elevations be-
tween that point and the beach at
Waikiki.
Among the fish We have here the
gold fish and the oopu are known by
investigation to feed on the larvae of
mosquitoes In answer to a letter of
inquiry in regard to the fishes we have
here feeding on the young of mosqui-
toes and the feasibility of introducing
the top-minnow, DR.. Jordan, President
of Stanford University, replies under
date of Jan. 81; "The only fishes that
you have which feed upon mosquitoes
in the small ponds, are the different
kinds of gobies locally known as oopu,
and the gold fish. The different spe-.
cies of oopu are found In all the
streams, but whether they feed on the
larvae or not must be determined by
dissection.
"The top-minnows are entirely I'M
represented in Hawaii. They are
very easily transported, being ex-
tremely hardy. There are, however,
none of them in California, and they
would have to be brought either. from
the Mississippi Valley or from Mex
leo. The best species for your pur-
pose could be found in the streams OF
Central Mexico, but it would be lit
tie costly to send a man down to get
them. Next to. these, 1 would recon-
mend trying the Gulf states or Flo
rida
These fish belong to the family of
Poeciiidae, and there are many spe-
cies, nearly all American. The single
Japanese species is common in rice
bitches in the extreme South of Japan
and probably feeds on larvae"
The Introduction of insectiyorous
bats has been suggested as a means
of lessening the number of mosqui-
toes. Mr.. VIM. A. Bryan, curator of
ornithology at Bishop Museum and
Inspector of Birds and Animals for
Hawaii says, speaking Of the intro
duction of bats; 'Vesperugo. the COM
monest of the British bats, is found
about old buildings, in creeks, rocks, |
etc. It's food is said to be gnats (mos-
quitoes). It will readily eat meat in
captivity and becomes a nuisance IN
houses. l would not advise the pro
miscous introduction and liberation of !
any species without previous study OF !
its habits here in confinement"
We have in the houses here two /
species of spiders and lizard, COM !
monty called "swifts", that prey on |
the adult mosquitoes. While the /
adults should be destroyed anywhere /
and everywhere possible, the effort of |
destruction should be directed against |
the larvae in doing away with the |