INSECTS INJURIOUS IN 1902. 53 
operation in this work, for it would profit but little if one citizen 
should treat all the stagnant water upon his place, while his neigh- 
bor across the fence leaves untouched, pools and ditches capable 
of producing millions of mosquitoes. It is interesting to learn that 
this pest must not necessarily feed upon warm blood. They have 
been observed puncturing dead fish and hovering about turtles 
when the latter were on the land. They appear to have a special 
predilection for beer and wine, and have been kept alive for some 
time on slices of banana. Evidence in the possession of Ento- 
mologists points to the probability that all Mosquitoes were orig- 
inally vegetable feeders and that the blood sucking habit is an 
acquired one. Like other insects they are at times affected by 
fungus diseases which must lessen their numbers considerably. 
The accompanying photograph illustrates a pupa killed by a fun- 
gus growth. The writer found that many taken from a pool con- 
taminated with sewage died in this way. In fact it is reported 
that fungus disease has been successfully introduced into ponds 
last summer for this purpose. The statement in the press that 
mosquitoes “are attracted by red and black colors and abhor yel- 
low,” must be regarded with some suspicion until it is corrobo- 
rated by scientists. It is generally believed that mosquitoes do not 
fly very far from the place where they hatch. This has been dis- 
proved, at least of many of the species, and even if they do not 
the same result will be attained, that is their dissemination, through 
the agency of the wind. It is of further interest to learn that the 
larva or wiggler of some species have been known to live through 
winter and not to have been injured by frequent freezing. In 
fact, on the night of Nov. 16th the water in an out-of-door breed- 
ing jar which contained a larval mosquito froze solid. On the 
18th the ice melted, disclosing our Culicid, not only none the worse 
for its freezing, but turned into a very active pupa. 
The writer attempted with kerosene to abate the mosquito 
nuisance this last season in a neighborhood quite badly infested. 
A map was first made showing all the ponds and marshes in the 
vicinity, and the first application of oil was made May 24th (a 
little late possibly as subsequent events proved). The same 
ground was gone over again June 16th by an assistant in the ab- 
sence of the Entomologist, and again on July 3oth and again, the 
