Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-17
Dry Weather Blamed.

There must be some reason for the unu-
sual prevalence of mosquitoes at this time
of the year, when the pest usually buzzes
his swan song and sheathes his poisoned
singer until another year. Dr. L. O. How
ard, entomologist of the Department of
Agriculture, thinks that the dry-wea Their
VI tne past SIX weeks or so may have
something to do with the prevalence of
mosquitoes in the city. Heavy rains flush
the sewers, traps and standing pools where
mosquitoes breed, and thus keep down the
production. But during dry spell the sur
face OF the water In such mosquito incu-
bators remains stationary-the one favor
aple condition necessary to the pests ex-
tensive propa gation
AS for the fact that mosquitoes are found
IN sWarms in houses that have been
screened and suffered throughout the
summer DR.. Howard says that the expla-
nation for this is also simple one A
square inch of standing water will breed
on an average of one hundred or more mos
quitoes day, straight through the sum-
mer All that is necessary is to leave a
small family of mosquitoes in a house
when 1t is closed for the summer The
mosquitoes will do the rest and when the
owner returns in the fall he will find
the house he left apparently tenantless
very thoroughly occupied indeed. The pests
will breed on the surface of bathroom
flush, way down in the interior of a stand
Ing house drain, or on any other water sur
face, big or little, within flying distance.
We DOliCeu the mosquitoes out my
way said DR.. Howard today, as he
scratched his left ankle and the back of
his neck simultaneously and enjoyingly
They seem to be both numerous and act
i've, which is rather surprising at this time
of the year. But the dry weather may ac-
count for their extensive propag CATION in
and around the city, and the presence of
standing water in houses will turn them
out fast enough indoors. At present | am
having the roof cutters of my house
cleaned, as very often at this time of the
year an accumulation of dead leaves will
stop UP the cutters Standing rain water
Will do the rest.
Breeding in Water Pitchers.
Only the other day DR.. Howard received
a letter from the manager of one of the
biggest hotels in New York, who said, with
considerable force that the scientist who
laid down the rule that mosquitoes don't
fly high and that they were never seen
above the sixth floor level didn't know
what he was talking about. The manager
said the ninth floor of his establishment
wasn't habitable because of the swarms of
mosquitoes that made 1t their home, DIR.
Howard in his reply told the manager to
ask the entomologist of the American
Museum of Natural History about the
matter, and the manager followed his adj
vice with excellent results. 1t was found
on an inspection of the ninth floor that it
included several rooms which had not been
used during the summer and which con-
tanned pitchers of water, the running water
system not extending above the eighth
floor The entomologist decided that mos
quitoes had been carried to the ninth floor
by guests of the hotel and had remained
there to breed by the million in the water
pitchers. After that all the water supply
of that particular floor was renewed every
day and the mosquitoes disappeared.
Merits of Little Oil.
DR.. Howard thinks that If the residents of
Washington will do a little house and
neighborhood work, using coal oil on stand
ing water outside of their homes, screening
bathroom flush tanks and attending to
such other details inside, the mosquito
plague will gradually diminish and finally
disappear entirely.
DR. Howard added that the present brand
of Washington mosquito appeared to be a
very domestic insect, seldom being found
far from his place of BIRTH When born
indoors they usually remain indoors,
stunning the light of day and becoming
quite demonstrative toward any members
of the human family who happen to live
in the same house. Nor do the outdoor
mosquitoes fly very far But as far as
appetite was concerned, DR.. Howard said
there wasn't very much to choose. And
that's the particular mosquito character
istic that most residents of the city are
interested in just now.