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War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

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Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#11

Post by nielsbot »

firesteelrain wrote: post #10
jajko wrote: post #3

A question for folks living there, or visited - are the description of fauna at least a bit accurate? Ie oversized mosquitoes (where swamps were not completely drained hundred years ago). Easily 2x the size of regular central european ones (or anywhere I've been really, including malaric ones). As an European, the biggest ones I've seen were in northern Scandinavia. Huge guys, massive swarms of them, sitting on peopl…

Florida has some aggressive species like the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus that are known for spreading diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. We used to chase after the mosquito truck spraying DEET as kids

DEET is a repellant not an insecticide? Was it DDT maybe? (Not certain)

They used to drive down the alleys in my hometown with a fogging truck to kill mosquitos. The only thing they said was "stay inside with the windows closed for a bit". Seems kinda crazy in hindsight.

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#12

Post by nielsbot »

stevenwoo wrote: post #6
jajko wrote: post #3

A question for folks living there, or visited - are the description of fauna at least a bit accurate? Ie oversized mosquitoes (where swamps were not completely drained hundred years ago). Easily 2x the size of regular central european ones (or anywhere I've been really, including malaric ones). As an European, the biggest ones I've seen were in northern Scandinavia. Huge guys, massive swarms of them, sitting on peopl…

There are very large mosquitoes that do not consume blood (eat other mosquitoes iirc) like the smaller ones. I’ve seen these in Texas.

Are you talking about "mosquito hawks"? That's what we used to call them.

You might be thinking to crane flies--dont' think they eat mosquitoes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crane_fly

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#13

Post by cafard »

datax2 wrote: post #7

I was told a story when I was younger (take it with a grain of salt I cannot find anything to corroborate it). The British embassy use to offer (maybe still does) "Tropical" pay for individuals stationed in temperate climates. Washington D.C. was considered a tropical location for years because of the notorious swampy and muggy conditions experienced in the warmer seasons. Stationed diplomats knew of this hazard/trop…

This seems to have been urban legend. I think that embassy staff might have been entitled to a bit more vacation. Unfortunately, I can't offer any source--it would have been a publication in the Washington area.

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#14

Post by quercusa »

nielsbot wrote: post #11
firesteelrain wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Florida has some aggressive species like the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus that are known for spreading diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. We used to chase after the mosquito truck spraying DEET as kids

DEET is a repellant not an insecticide? Was it DDT maybe? (Not certain) They used to drive down the alleys in my hometown with a fogging truck to kill mosquitos. The only thing they said was "stay inside with the windows closed for a bit". Seems kinda crazy in hindsight.

In N. Florida I think it was Malathion.

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#15

Post by detourdog »

firesteelrain wrote: post #10
jajko wrote: post #3

A question for folks living there, or visited - are the description of fauna at least a bit accurate? Ie oversized mosquitoes (where swamps were not completely drained hundred years ago). Easily 2x the size of regular central european ones (or anywhere I've been really, including malaric ones). As an European, the biggest ones I've seen were in northern Scandinavia. Huge guys, massive swarms of them, sitting on peopl…

Florida has some aggressive species like the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus that are known for spreading diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. We used to chase after the mosquito truck spraying DEET as kids

I did that in Gainesville in the mid-70s… were we friends?

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#16

Post by detourdog »

nielsbot wrote: post #11
firesteelrain wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Florida has some aggressive species like the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus that are known for spreading diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. We used to chase after the mosquito truck spraying DEET as kids

DEET is a repellant not an insecticide? Was it DDT maybe? (Not certain) They used to drive down the alleys in my hometown with a fogging truck to kill mosquitos. The only thing they said was "stay inside with the windows closed for a bit". Seems kinda crazy in hindsight.

We called it the the fog truck.

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#17

Post by jamiek88 »

datax2 wrote: post #7

I was told a story when I was younger (take it with a grain of salt I cannot find anything to corroborate it). The British embassy use to offer (maybe still does) "Tropical" pay for individuals stationed in temperate climates. Washington D.C. was considered a tropical location for years because of the notorious swampy and muggy conditions experienced in the warmer seasons. Stationed diplomats knew of this hazard/trop…

A common error, but in case it’s not a typo / autocorrect - it’s exacerbate not exasperate.

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#18

Post by pwg »

jajko wrote: post #3

A question for folks living there, or visited - are the description of fauna at least a bit accurate? Ie oversized mosquitoes (where swamps were not completely drained hundred years ago). Easily 2x the size of regular central european ones (or anywhere I've been really, including malaric ones). As an European, the biggest ones I've seen were in northern Scandinavia. Huge guys, massive swarms of them, sitting on peopl…

> Ie oversized mosquitoes (where swamps were not completely drained hundred years ago).

The native mosquitoes of the DC area can grow to a body length of about 1 inch or a bit longer (~3cm). They were the ones that were nocturnal (or at least dusk active). This variety is likely what revolutionary soldiers would have been writing about.

They have largely been out competed by the invasive "black fly" version (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aedes_albopictus) that is active all day (and so, is much more a nuisance, even if they are only about 3/8 inch (~1cm) body length).

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#19

Post by fc417fc802 »

jajko wrote: post #3

A question for folks living there, or visited - are the description of fauna at least a bit accurate? Ie oversized mosquitoes (where swamps were not completely drained hundred years ago). Easily 2x the size of regular central european ones (or anywhere I've been really, including malaric ones). As an European, the biggest ones I've seen were in northern Scandinavia. Huge guys, massive swarms of them, sitting on peopl…

It's not the geographic location as much as the unimpeded wetlands. Undeveloped and frontier areas are much as you describe your experience in Scandinavia.

The difference in modern times is even more stark because any half civilized government overseeing a region that isn't arid engages in fairly aggressive mosquito control on at least a yearly basis.

Re: War and Wilderness: British Soldiers in Revolutionary America

#20

Post by npongratz »

RetpolineDrama wrote: post #5
jajko wrote: post #3

A question for folks living there, or visited - are the description of fauna at least a bit accurate? Ie oversized mosquitoes (where swamps were not completely drained hundred years ago). Easily 2x the size of regular central european ones (or anywhere I've been really, including malaric ones). As an European, the biggest ones I've seen were in northern Scandinavia. Huge guys, massive swarms of them, sitting on peopl…

Not in most of the US, but the ones in Alaska can mummify a water buffalo in under 5 minutes. Running joke is that the mosquito is "Alaska's state bird"

There are no native water buffalo in Alaska. Are you perhaps thinking of American bison?
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