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Roatan and Bay Islands Discussion List Archive
| Posted On: | 19-Sep-2003 |
| From: | David Evans [dkevans.....edu] |
| Subject: | Re: [roatan] sand fleas and sanflies |
Tony...You didn't address your question to me and I certainly am not an expert on mosquitos; however I do know that different species inhabit different local environments, some living within a meter or two from the ground and some living at tree-top levels...some living only in the tropics and some only in the arctic. Human cultures usually adapt to their environments, and that environment includes local insects. Once in Viet Nam we (the U.S.) force moved a group of people who lived in the mountains to a new area at sea level so we could build an air base...in the mountains the people had built their homes flat on the ground, and when forced to move to their new environment they continued to build their homes in the same manner. In the sea level environment the local mosquitoes lived, breed and died withing the zone two meters from the ground up, and whereas in the mountains the people had adapted many centuries before to mosquioes that lived mostly from 5 meters above the ground level to the tops of the tropical forest by constructing their homes lower than the zone occupied by the mountain species. In the lower zone these same mountain people ignored the local people's traditional wisdom of building their homes high on posts above the mosquito zone and built their homes as they always had in their once mountain homeland...flat on the ground. These people suffered greatly and many, many of them contracted and died of malaria before the American military deserted the air base in the mountains and what was left of the tribe were aqble to flee back to their beloved native mountains where the culture of their ancestors had adapted them to live. Of course a simple definition of culture would be "learned behavior"...but of course that is far too simple. I would suggest an interestering book, in fact two books by the same arthur, Marsten Bates..."Where Winter Never Comes," and "The Natural History of the Mosquito"...Bates was an excellent writer and his books are enjoyable reading. No doubt this is far more than anyone wanted with such a simple question...but then, is there such a thing? All the best, dke http://www.wfu.edu/~dkevans Tony Vazquez wrote: > Since your the defacto bug expert, how high do you have to build a house before mosquitoes and sandflies can't get to it. ReplayTV: Control live television Special Sale: 50% off ReplayTV CNet Ranked #1 over Tivo! | |
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