Subject: Re: Swallows and Mosquitoes
Date: Apr 12 23:58:29 1995
From: "McCloskey, Lawrence R" - mcclla at wwc.edu


Birds (swallows) may make some impact on the skeeters, but when they are
swallow-food, the mosquitoes are already out and biting things and laying
eggs. The best predators are those that eat the wriggler larvae of
mosquitoes, and the so-called "killifish" or mosquito-fish of the genus
*Gambusia* are known to be very effective as mosquito control agents. I'm
told these fish can be readily obtained and released, and are hardy. And they
are in turn fed upon by the fish-eating BIRDS (kingfishers, herons, grebes,
etc.)!

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Larry McCloskey

Dept of Biological Sciences

Walla Walla College, College Place, WA 99324

mcclla at wwc.edu

509-527-2481

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