The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-02-29
MOSQUITO WAR
TO COST LITTLE
Elimination of Mos squi t o e s
Would be inexpensive
Engineer Says
Expert Presents Program That
Has Been 80 Per Cent Eff
fective i'm Other Districts

Cleanup of Buttons mosquito
breeding places will be an inexpen-
sive and effective program if every
section of the town cooperates in
the work, an audience of more than
100 property owners was told Tues
day night at a meeting in the high
school auditorium.
An analysis of Bluffton's mosquito
control problem was made at the
session by Louis HI. Lewandowski of
Toledo, Lucas county sanitary engin-
eer.
The visiting speaker has gained
national recognition as one of the
country's leading mosquito control
specialists, and his comments on the
local situation indicated a cleanup
could be readily effected with full
cooperation of all citizens.
Lewandowski said he believes
most of Bluffton's mosquitoes are
bred in Big and Little Riley creeks,
and that control work as a conse-
quence should start there.
Treatment of Streams
Different forms of treatment were
recommended. In the Big Riley
where there is quantity of sewage
and industrial waste, which provide
food for mosquito larvae, the elimi-
nation of standing pools of water
and the use of insecticide or oil
were suggested.
Fish provide an excellent means
of destroying mosquito larvae, but
it would be hard to stock them in
the Big Riley because of the sewage
and waste matter, the speaker said.
Oil therefore could be used in the
stream without fear of harm to
fish, but insecticide would be equally
as effective and would cost very
little more.
In the Little Riley, stocking of
pools with surface minnows, which
may be obtained thru the state con-
servation department, would assist
greatly in controlling mosquitoes.
Insecticide also should be used in
places where required, but no oil
should be used for it would be harm
full to fish.
No Stagnant Pools
Continuing the program, residents
should make certain there are no
rain barrels, open cisterns, or stag
nant pools of water anywhere in the
town. Tin cans or other rubbish in
which water may stand also provide
excellent breeding places for mos
quitoes.
Lily ponds should be treated with
insecticide or have surface minnows
placed in them. Damp cellars pro-
vide another excellent breeding
place, and should be sprayed sys-
tematically. Eaves troughs some
times are breeding places.
Piles of limbs, rubbish under
which the ground will remain quite
moist will permit the breeding of
mosquitoes, Lewandowski said. Ap-
proximately IA days are required
for incubation of the insects.
For the most effective mosquito
control, work should be started
about March Is, continued thru the
summer and into November, the
engineer declared. Rigid control of
one generation of mosquitoes makes
elimination of the second generation
that much easier, he pointed out.
1t was Lewandowski's opinion that
Buttons mosquitoes are of a type
that have a range of about half a
mile which would simplify the local
control program.
Cost is Nominal
Cost of mosquito elimination here
would be nominal, the Toledo engin-
eer declared.
LII OLIdWd I1liISy 1OiCuO cuD-
division where the mosquitoes were
so bad residents could not sit out
doors after five o'clock in the even
ing, the elimination of 80 per cent
of them was effected in one summer.
For this program the cost was less
than 10 cents per capita.
This cost Lewandowsk pointed out
is no more than will be spent for
home insecticides during a season.
Lewandowsk used the Ottawa
Hills elimination project as prov
ing ground for a program which he
has drafted after continuous expert
mentation and study starting In
1914.
The outstanding success of the
elimination project there and in
other communities has earned fol
the Toledo engineer recognition al
Continued on page 81