NEW ZEALAND MOSQUITOES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1929, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND MOSQUITOES

RESEARCH WORK

NO CARRIERS OF MALARIA KNOWN HERE.

AUCKLAND, Jan. 9

In view of the reports .by cable from Sydney it is atisfaotory to note that no species of (malaria-carrying mosquito is known to exist in New Zealand, but in Auckland there are two species belonging to the same genus as the yellow fever mosquito of Phname (Hides cal opus). This .sums up the results of the Auckland Mosquito Research Committee, the investigation covering a period of two years. The City Council lias been taking active measures to control the pest in Auckland, and last year members of the sanitary inspecor’s stall co-operat-ed with Mr David H. Graham, the committee’s research officer.

Mr Gilbert Archey, under whose supervision the research is being conducted, said this morning that seven varieties had been discovered in and around Auckland. Two of these particularly affected city residents. They •were a small black, night-biting species (Ctilex pervigilans) and a slightly larger white-spotted daytime biter (HSdes notoscriptus). Amon the other five a very interesting one had been discovered by Mr Graham at Titirangi. It had never previously been known, and it was most difficult to combat, because its larva could breathe both by the customary air syphon and by specially-en-larged gills, and was thus enabled to remain below the surface of the water for an indefinite period, consequently the ordinary control method by the use of oil was of no avail with this species. Mr Graham had kept these particular larvae living for a month under a thick layer of heavy oil, and their death then was as likely due, to starvation as to suffocation. This discovery was of much importance for scientific reasons, and also as indicating that drastic measures must be taken with this mosquito, which was a troublesome biter.

The desire of the committee, of which Professor A. P. W. Thomas was chairman, was to extend the scope of research, continued Dir Archey. The most distant point visited bv Mr Graham had been Waipoua, where another species of /Ede.4 r was recently discovered. A grant; for the work had been recently approved by the New Zealand Institute, and was now awaiting sanction by the Minister in charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

"A search must be made for the possibility of the malarial mosquito being here,” Mr Arcbev said, "and the further possibility of species already in New Zealand transmitting diseases must be investigated.” "Confidence in the work at present in progress in Auckland has been expressed by the Chief Entomologist of the Cawtliron Institute, Dr David Miller, and he considered that research should be extended to cover the whole of the Dominion.