[LEPS-L:7902] Re: Mosquito tolerance or resistance

[Cris Guppy or Aud Fischer]

Years ago I stopped at a picnic site along the Alaska Highway in the
southern Yukon. A huge vehicle from Texas pulled up and after a while a
classically dressed fly-fisherman (vest, hat, waders, rod, etc - all brand
new) stepped out. He disappeared through the trees down to the adjacent
river.

A few minutes later there was strenuous thrashing and cursing, and the Texan
came crashing out of the brush looking hot and bothered. He dove into his
vehicle, and before the door closed I could hear "Martha! The mosquitos down
there are THAT big!" (I kid you not, it was a Texan, and his wife's name was
Martha, assuming they were married).

When I finished lunch I wandered down to the river to kill some bugs (I was
on a general entomology inventory trip). The place swarmed with small, very
fierce mosquitos, and there were also thousands of craneflies! I collected
some of both, and left.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenelm Philip" <fnkwp at aurora.alaska.edu>
To: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 6:54 PM
Subject: [LEPS-L:7899] Mosquito tolerance or resistance


>
> > ...our host who had lived in Alaska for 15 years, he was forever
> > swatting and batting mosquitos, and swelling up with each bite.
>
> I have lived in Alaska for 35 years, and spent a fair amount of
> time in the field most summers. I never had much reaction to mosquitoes
> when I arrived--and have never had much since. I think individual
> variation among humans is a major factor here.
>
> By the way, the Alaska mosquitoes are not large (except for the
> early spring ones that hibernate as adults). They are very small, but
> very fast and determined. They remind me of WWII pictures of Stuka dive
> bombers at work...
>
> Ken Philip
> fnkwp at uaf.edu
>
>
>
>
>
>
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