Evelyn Groesbeeck Mitchell

Evelyn Groesbeeck Mitchell (June 14, 1879 – October 31, 1964) was an American entomologist, scientific illustrator, and physician. She was the first to scientifically describe the midge species Kribiodorum perpulchrum.

Quotes

... the experience of Sir Hiram Maxim is well worth relating. While engaged in constructing an electric-light apparatus, he noticed that one of the lamps gave out a constant musical note. One evening he discovered everything near the box below this light was covered with mosquitoes, all males, notwithstanding the fact that the females preponderated in numbers in the vicinity. He found that when the lamps were set in action all male mosquitoes at once faced in the direction of the lamp which gave forth the musical note, and flew straight at it. The buzz of the lamp was practically identical in tone with that of the female mosquito.
- Mitchell, Evelyn Groesbeeck (1907). Mosquito Life: The Habits and Life Cycles of the Known Mosquitoes of the United States; Methods for Their Control; and Keys for Easy Identification of the Species in Their Various Stages. Volume 23 of Science series. G.P. Putnam. p. 8. (281 pages)

Speaking of their preferring to sit on dark wood, Dr. Smith records that sollicitans appears to be attracted to black clothing rather than to gray or light brown. We have noticed this also with other species. Pearse says that mosquitoes much prefer dark blue and violet to yellow and red.
- p. 22

It seems that, in the river districts of Alaska, when the ice breaks up and melts in the spring, the hunting of game over the soggy ground and through the melting snow is impossible, while the ice-cakes in the flooded rivers effectually prohibit any fishing. At about this time, the stock of food laid in for the winter by the Indians has run low, and matters would sometimes be rather serious for the tribes did not the mosquitoes fly to the rescue. At this season these insects appear in countless hordes, clouds upon close, all ravenous for their first spring meal. Falling upon the deer and even the bears, they so torment the poor animals that they rush to the rivers to rid themselves of the blood-thirsty energy; thus falling an easy prey to the watching Indians. At times the eyes of the bears, which are by far the easiest points of attack for the mosquitoes, are so swollen that bruin can no longer see, and thus starves or is captured by some hungry hunter, four-footed or otherwise.
- p. 40

In 1833 Dr. A. F. A. King discussed at length the etiological relation of mosquitoes to malaria. Michel in 1847 described the ovoid bodies and the pigment, as did also Prof. J. Jones a few years years later. In 1848 Dr. J. E. Nott published his opinions that the mosquitoes transmit this disease. Laveran, a French physician, in 1880 finally and conclusively proved the cause of malaria to be the parasite.
- p. 84