The Scourge of the North - The Mosquito

By Al Lowe
Contributor

The mosquito has been a scourge of man ever since time began for us. Not only are there lots of mosquitoes, there are also lots of different kinds of them - over 150 species just in North America.
For most people here in Northern Ontario, the mosquito is just a nuisance. Its bite causes swelling and itiching for a while, and then it subsides. In many parts of the world, however, the nuisance value is far outweighed by its disease carrying capability. Most people are aware that malaria is carried by a type of mosquito in the tropics. Malaria affects over 200 million people in the world.
Another tropical disease is 'elephantiasis', where some parts of the body swell to immense size. It is caused by a microscopic worm, carried by a type of mosquito. Dog heart worm is carried in a similar way, and a great many North American dogs are affected each year. Several fever viruses, notably the deadly yellow fever, are also carried by mosquitoes in warm climates.
In Wisconsin and Minnesota, a disease called La Crosse enecphalitis is carried by a particular type of mosquito, the Tree-hole Mosquito. It is not very common, fortunately, and it tends to stay in the deep woods, so you don't really need to worry very much.
There are dozens and dozens of different species of mosquito in this part of Ontario. All of them need water for part of their life cycle. Their favourite breeding areas will be stagnant pools, rain barrels, old tin cans - anything where some still water will last for a week or so. The little 'wrigglers' live in the water, but they must breathe air. These little animals form a very important link in the food chain for many game fish, when they breed in still bays or slow streams.
The question which people are always asking, of course, is what to do about them. Since they breed in stagnant water, it is obvious that you should eliminate as much still water as you can. Don't leave water in cans, pails, old tires, or anything else. Fill in very low spots. You might think that in land of muskeg such as ours, these little bits would not help. But many mosquitoes don't travel more than a few yards from where they hatch. If you have some ponds, a little bit of oil on the surface will smother most of the wrigglers.
When you are outside, wear light clothing - dark colors attract these insects. Avoid places where the air is still, or really shady places in the daytime. Mosquitoes tend to congregate there. Spraying or fogging can be quite effective, if you do it at the right time, for small areas.
The electric 'zappers' are of very limited use. They work on the basis of attracting the insects and then electrocuting them. But if you are in between the mosquito and the zapper, she will likely stop for lunch on the way.
Your best bet now is the insect repellent. Most of them contain an ingredient called NDMT. This is quite harmless to humans and a little bit does go a long way.
So one of the blessings of modern chemistry can help us to bear that ancient scourge of man - the mosquito.