MOSQUITOES AXD THEIR EXTERMINATION. 453 



MOSQUITOES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR 

 EXTERMINATION.* 



By WILLIAM LYMAN UNDERWOOD, 



LECTURER IN THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGV. 



nnHE statement has been frequently made of late that there is no 

 -*- more reason why we should suffer from mosquitoes than there 

 is that we should allow rats and mice to continually annoy us, and 

 this statement is in a measure true. Rats and mice are to a great 

 extent effectively held in check; for we have become accustomed to 

 them and their habits, and we know how to deal with them. Were it 

 not for the fact that a constant warfare is being waged against them, 

 they would soon overrun our houses and make life unbearable. 



In order to fight the mosquitoes successfully it is important that 

 every one should take an interest in the popular uprising against this 

 insect pest. And now that it is known that, besides being a nuisance, 

 mosquitoes may be a menace to the health of the community, it is 

 equally necessary that every one should become familiar with all that 

 pertains to their life history so that the war against them may be 

 successfully and intelligently carried on. Notwithstanding all that 

 has been written on the subject of mosquitoes, during the last year or 

 two, the majority of people still know but little about them. 



It is the purpose of this article to state, in as simple a manner a? 

 possible, the facts that are now known regarding mosquitoes and how 

 to deal with these pests, and it is hoped that this information may 

 help to secure a more general cooperation in the work of mosquito 

 extermination. 



Few people realize that there are a great many different kinds of 

 mosquitoes. Some three hundred species have already been described, 

 and here in the United States we have about fifty species, belonging 

 to nine different genera. The most common of these genera in the 

 northern states are Anopheles, the malarial, and Culex, the ordinary, 

 mosquito. Of the former there are two species and of the latter at 

 least fifteen. 



Only these two genera and the methods for their extermination will 

 be especially considered, and as these methods may also be successfully 

 applied to the other kinds of mosquitoes, no detailed description of 

 the others need be given. 



* Illustrated with photographs from life by the author. The article and 

 the photographs are copyrighted. 



