The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-05-01

/ and dry season, allows mosquito
! breeding on year-around basis.
He pointed out that the Aedes
TaeniorhynchuS and A. Solicit
| tans breeds account for 95 per.
cent of the catch outside of Key
West. In the city, the. Cuex Quin-
| quefaSciatus are collected almost
nightly, which is accounted for
probably by the fact that only a
small proportion of the city is
served by central sewerage dis
posal system, the balance being
served by ceSspools and outdoor
privieS. In the city of Key West,
there are two ponds bounded
nv White street, Flagler Avenue,
Bertha street and the Atlantic
/, Ocean which can also be con-
sidered as potential A. Albimanus
breeders.
Mr. Hutchcraft went on to say,
Poor planning as far as mos
quito control is concerned, in the
construction of streets and roads
has resulted in the formation of
numerous acres of breeding by
blocking off and preventing tidal
access and storm water drain
age. A. Sollicitans here breed
almost exclusively in shallow
temporary rain pools and semi.
permanent ponds. Normally a
single heavy crop is produced by
each rain heavy enough to flood
marginal vegetation. These crops
emerge on the 5th, 9th or 7th
Gay, depending on the tempera-
ture.
In l948, we did no larval con-
ttol, as we were in the organiza-
ton stage. At that time, we de-
veloped d, healthy respect for the
A. Sollicitans Our crops OF
mosquitoes develop only after
heavy rains, the first instar lar
vac appear within minutes after
floating. A. Sollicitans have
emerged as adults in four and
one-half days, depending on tenn
perature and humidity. We try
to knock them out in the larval
stage If there is insufficient
time and the crop emerges, we
attempt to put our spray plane
over the breeding areas and
knock them out while they arc
still weak apd before they have
been able to infiltrate or spread
into the adjacent residential or
military areas. Last year we were
able to control several crops by
this method in conjunction with
use of ground control by thermal
| aerosol fog generators"
Mr. Hutchcraft pointed out
that local civil cooperation in
mosquito control is divided into
two sections, one, directed by
John A. Mulrennan, through the
County Health Office, is primar-
lily engaged in Aedes Acgypti
control. Two men are employed
and they have been able to APP
parcntly wipe out and eradicate
all Acgypti from Key West.
These men have been able to CON
vince city officials of the value
and necessity of filling abandoned
clstcrnS, ccSSpoolS and privies.
By use of oil and predatory fish.
a major reduction was effected.
Later the Naval Mosquito Con-
troll Unit was able to supply DDTi
Emulsion Concentrate to these
two men in limited quantity
which further improved the eff
fectiveness of their program.
The second section in local
civilian cooperation is the Joint.
Key West-Monroe Eounty. prnr.
gram by which about fourth
of the City Of Key, Welt, Eesscllsi 4
sive of military reservations is
! tEeated. for. adult mosquitoesx In
this sorganizatinns the ciw fpf
West. provides 4 hefrqal lad &ol
fog generator, which is mounted
on Monroe County truck, OPP
Grated by the senior county prison
guard with prisoner assistance,
making use of insecticides fur
niShed by the City of Key West.
THE Nays program here is
directed primarily at permanent
control" Mr.. Hutchcraft went on
to say, however, until our
ditching - tidal water flushing
system can be completed we have
mosquito population equal to,
that of anywhere in the Carib-