AQUATIO INSECTS IN NEW YORK STATE 343 



standing the gnats, while farmers on a small scale can keep 

 their animals in the stable, thus protecting them.^ 



Remedies and preventives 



A number of remedies to counteract the poison of the buffalo 

 gnats have been tried, but none of them have been sufficiently 

 tested or have proved uniformly effective. The following appli- 

 cations have been of sufficient use to merit further trial: (1) Rub- 

 bing with water of ammonia, and administering internally a 

 mixture of 40 to 50 grains of carbonate of ammonia to 1 pint 

 of whisky, repeating the dose every three or four hours until 

 relieved; (2) continued doses of whisky alone and keeping the 

 animal in a cool and darkened stable; (3) immersion in cold 

 water in running streams. Many cases of death of human 

 beings from the bites of buffalo gnats have been reported, and 

 some of them seem well authenticated. The painfulness of 

 their attacks will certainly put people on their guard, but it 

 would be well for persons in localities subject to their inva- 

 sion to go prepared with some means of protecting themselves 

 when far from shelter during the season of the year when the 

 flies abound. The adults have so far appeared but little sub- 

 ject to attack from other animals. But few birds have been 

 observed to feed upon them, though for the Southern forms 

 the mocking bird, winter wren, and especially barnyard fowls, 

 after the flies become gorged with blood feed upon them. 

 Dragon flies, Libellulidae and robber flies, Asilidae, have been 

 observed to catch them. The larvae are devoured in large num- 

 bers by the smaller fishes, minnows, etc., and probably the car- 

 nivorous beetle, bugs and other aquatic ineects prey upon them. 

 Dr Howard has observed in Washington the larvae of a species 

 of Hydropsyche feeding upon the larvae of a species common 

 in that locality. The pupae are pretty well protected by the 

 resemblance in color to the objects to which they are fastened 

 and their quiet habits. The eggs would seem to be open to 

 the attacks of fishes, carnivorous beetles, etc., but no positive 

 observations have been made. Oshorn^ 



Very little can be done to destroy this insect in its earlier 

 stages. The removal of obstructions in the rivers, which cause 

 an acceleration of the motion of the water, would destroy some 

 of their breeding places, but when there are so many this would 

 make but little difference. Any chemicals to kill the larvae and 

 pupae in the water would also kill fish, as they would have to be 

 used very strong. The only way we have to protect ourselves 



lU. S. Dep't Aprric. Rep't. 1886. p.502. 



2U. S. Dep't AgTic. Div. Ent. 1896. Bui. 5, n. s. p.37, 38. 



