MOSQUITO PEST

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1929, Page 8

MOSQUITO PEST

RESEARCH AT AUCKLAND

AUCKLAND, October 31

People who are interested in the extermination of Auckland’s summer pest, the mosquito, will be sorry to near that Mr David H. Graham, who ior three years has been research officer to the Auckland Mosquito Control Committee is leaving Auckland, having just been appointed 'biologist at the Marine Biological Station at Portobello, Dunedin He takes his his new duties on January 1. During the three years he has been in Auckand he has worked out the life history of the different kinds of mosquitoes with which we are plagued, his investigations extending from Auckland to Spirits Bay, at the ex*' treme end of the island. He identified each species and bred out the various stages from the egg to the adult. He determined the selective breeding grounds, and dissected each species, drawing each in twenty-five palrts for reproduction in scientific journals, a work that had not previously been done in New Zealand. Those who are aware of the vast amount of work done by Mr Graham will regret that he will not be able to carry it further., It is understood that he has clear-cut ideas as to the comparative ease of combating ' the mosquito, pest around Auckland. At the present time he is engaged in a treatise on how control could be effected and it is to be hoped that some combined action will be taken when his report is completed. Mr -Graham contends that 90 per cent of Auckland’s mosquitoes could be eliminated at a minimum cost. Residents and visitors would welcome any thing that would rid the summer of such a pest.