MALARIA MOSQUITOES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 730, 1 August 1929, Page 6

MALARIA MOSQUITOES

INTRODUCTION TO NEW ZEALAND POSSIBILITY DISCUSSED The possibility of the introduction into New Zealand of malariacarrying mosquitoes was stressed by Mr. W. R. McGregor, lecturer in zoology at the Auckland University College, in an address given recently to members of the Auckland Institute. Mr. McGregor, who has returned from a visit to New Guinea, also referred to experiments being conducted in regard to the use of other species of mosquito which, although living on tl l e infectious variety, are not capable of biting and are therefore harmless to human beings.

Remarking on the gradual spread of malaria down the coast of Queensland and northern parts of New South Wales, he said that were the malariainfected mosquitoes introduced into New Zealand, the northern part of the Auckland Province would be very favourable for their multiplication. Very few people in New Guinea were free from malaria, said Mr. McGregor, who went-on to deal with the various species of mosquito encountered in that country. .The most prevalent in the tropics, he said, were the culicins, to which group belong all the species we have in New Zealand. In addition New Guinea has several species of anophelines, which is the group responsible for the development and dissemination of the malaria uarasite. The fact that most of the latter breed in clear water, such as is contained in the leaf bases of tropical plants in the forests, or in the crevices of the bark of trees, and other places, their eradication becomes most difficult. CANNIBAL GROUP The speaker also referred to a third group called megarines, a rather obscure group, of which several species have been described. One occurs in Australia, another is reported in South Nigeria and still another in Mauritius, and attempts have been made to transport the two latter to Europe. It appears that the larvae of the megariue mosquito grew to a comparatively great size and is a lusty cannibal, devouring not only the weak members of his own species, hut also the larvae pupae of all other mosquitoes. As this mosquito is not Capable of biting it is therefore perfectly innocuous, and it follows that the establishment of megarine larvae in mos-quito-infected swamps is likely to prove a most valuable counter measure in many parts of New Guinea, where very large megarine inornatus occurs in large numbers. Attempts are now being made by an entomologist of the Research Bureau of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association to transport the larvae of this species from New Guinea to Hawaii, where it was hoped that these would eat out the ordinary mosquito which infests the low-lying lands there and constitutes a serious pest. There are. however, considerable difficulties in transporting this larvae long distances, but it was highly probable that recent experiments would result, in the discovery of a suitable procedure.