/

Battling I he Dive bomoers

(From Page 1» rounds in full daylight. In Cape May. of course, that s when there is a vast expanse of tempting hare skin displayed in a sort of skeelcr smorgasbord. Which is not to sayOhat cousins like Cn/e.v nipiens. mnst likely to tie found about the house, isn l a ubiquitous annoyance That s because Culex finds the water in swimming pools, bird battis and discarded paint cans provides handv breeding havens . ■And one paint can might provide a happy home for a family of 10,000 Cufex. Culex is also among the first of its naslv kind to appear in the spring, because instead of going to Florida, it picks a secluded spot and hibernates from October to April, emerging with warmer temperatures to resume its job of ta'ing a nuisance. Then there’s Aedes vexqns. the upland mosquito dedicated to turning any stroll in the woods into a walk on the wild and itchy side Together, they make up the enemy Battling against them are 18 full lime employees and 15 summer employees under Supt. Hansen Keystone of commission strategy is the salt water marsh management plan, designed to make the marsh waters unsuitable for breeding. IT INCLUDKS IJITClHNCi to bring m the tidal flow, introducing

M\\\ tt IK I I I MH IS h:i|>Kn far Irani thr fronl. I,hI* U'chnician Kami Williams il'irs nun 1} o( hi»r Nuhtmu for Ih'c County Mosi|iiito Commission al-a Itlli roscopr. tish into marsh ponds, and digging deep spots so that the larvaegobbling fish can survive dry periods. A It is supplemented bv aerial spraying to kill immature mosqu'ldes not eliminated by tidal wash and predators. It is. however, a long-range plan In Tuokahoe, one project has eliminated .t.tKHl acres of breeding habitat, with 2,000 acres

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Foreman Sandv McPherson and his crews are’backed by an impressive array of equipment at the 17.5-acre commission headquarters ion Dclsea Drive, Dias Creek It includes a Bell-47 helicopter, piloted by Ted Hughes, on lease from Cordoba Helicopters. Heavy armament is represented by trucks, two massive rotary ditchers, a crane, back hoe. tractors, pumps, and a dump truck Functioning as an intelligence service, several types of Traps help to identify the species and number of mosquitoes in a given

area

The commission laboratory checks the composition o"f pesticides, calibrates spraying equipment, and provides orientation to new or seasonal emplovees. The commission shop maintains the equipment and vehicles. Finally, the commission raises . 7 mr7i. imi

its own fish for the stocking program. Gambusia a//inis. a hyenearing freshwater minnow-hke fish with an appetite for mosquito larvae, gives if a submarine arm toprowFits ponds. In Cape May. of course, that s when there is a vast expanse of tempting bare skin displayed in a sort of skeeter smorgasbord. Which is not to say that cousins like Culex pipiens, most likely to be found about the house, isn t a ubiquitous annoyance. That s because Culex finds the water in swimming pools, bird baths and discarded paint cans provides handy breeding havens. And one paint can might provide a happy home for a famify of 10,000 Culex f Culex is also among the first of its nasty kind to appear in the spring, because instead of going to Florida, it picks a secluded spot and hibernates from October to April, emerging with warmer temperatures to resume its job of being a nuisance, Then there’s Aedes vexans. the upland mosquito dedicated to turning any stroll in the woods into a • walk on the wild and itchy side. Together, they make up the enemy. Battling against them are 18 full time employees and 15 summer employees under Supt. Hansen. Keystone of commission strategy is the salt water marsh management plan, designed to make the marsh waters unsuitable for breeding. IT, INCLUDES DITCHING to bring in the tidal flow introducing fish into marsh ponds, and digging deep spots so that the larvaegobbiing fish can survive dry periods. , It is supplemented by aerial spraying to kill immature mosquitoes not eliminated by tidal wash and predators. It is, however, a long-range plan. In Tuckahoe, one project has eliminated 3,000 acres of breeding habitat, with 2,000 acres

to go.

Foreman Sandy McPherson and his crews are backed by an impressive array of equipment at the 17.5-acre commission headquarters on Delsea Drive, Dias

Creek.

It includes a Bell 47 helicopter, piloted by Ted Hughes, on lease from Cordoba Helicopters. - Heavy armament is represented by trucks, two/ massive rotary ditchers, a crane, back hoe, tractors, pumps, and a dump truck. Functioning as an intelligence service, several types of traps help to identify the species and number of mosquitoes in a given

area.

The commission laboratory checks the composition of pesticides, calibrates spraying equipment, and provides orienta-

(Photos by Doris Ward) PILOT TKl) HUGHES prepares to do battle against dive bombing mosquitoes in Cape

May County.

tion tb new or seasonal employees. The commission shop maintains the equipment and

vehicles.

Finally, the commission raises its own fish for the stocking program. Gombusio affinis. a fivebearing freshwater minnow-like fish with an appetite for mosquito larvae, gives if a submarine arm

to prowfits ponds.

IN SPECIALIZED strategic warfare, crews regularly clean out the ditches in the uplands and check catch basins in populated areas. Some are treated with methoprene briquets, which alter the genes of some species so that the eggs do not hatch into adults. And it answers complaints, of which, Mrs. Hansen indicated, there nave been many in recent

weeks.

The worst areas to date, judged ’from those complaints and the commission’s checkups, are Cape May City, Villas, Stone Harbor Palermo, Goshen, Marmora, and Eldora. There probably will be more complaints. But Mrs. Hansen is confident that her forces will eventually regain the upper hand in the battle of human brain and brawn against Aedans, Culex and Co. Meanwhile, it might be wise to keep the insect repellent and antiitch lotion handy. (Ed Harnett of North Cape May is a velenan newspaperman who moved to Cape May County from North Jersey where he was on the editorial staff of the Jersey (City) Journal.)

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AKKIAI. STRATEGY is mapped by Gene Taylor, assistant foreman, in preparation for Count's Mosquito Commission's battle against the enemy.

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