High Sierra Topix

except for those who fish possibly

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35024794

From my reading of the article this will have little or no impact on the Sierra. As much as mosquitoes make us uncomfortable they actually play a pretty important role in the ecosystem--they are food to more than fish (bats for example) and also play a role in polination of flowers. So I don't think we really want to eliminate mosquitoes from the Sierra. Personally I like mosquitoes better in June and early July than the masses of people out and about in August. But of course I'm kind of a curmudgeon.

Mike

I recently read that researchers at UC Irvine and UC San Diego also created a malaria-blocking mosquito. No mention of collaboration with UK scientists.

I have a family friend who works at Kearney ag center and specializes in mosquitoes and malaria-transfer. He says there's no worry that Sierra mosquitoes will carry anything dangerous: malaria, West Nile. No reason to hate except for the annoying buzzing.

well, this map tends to show a different picture, not that I'm doubting your friend: http://diseasemaps.usgs.gov/mapviewer/ click on mosquito and bird.

and remember upslope blow-in. Not like West Nile would be a big deal. I have two horses and 50 friggn crows (yeah, it's crow season, but i have no good recipe ). No crows died. That is the canary in the coal mine for WNV.

I'd love if they were all gone but messing with nature on such a large scale is always a really bad idea.

Totally agree, Rogue.

Crow and Mushroom Stew

3 crows
1 Tbsp lard/shortening
1 pint stock or gravy
2 Tbsp cream
1/2 cup mushrooms
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper

Clean and cut crows into small portions and let them cook a short time in the lard/shortening in a saucepan, being careful not to brown them.
Next, add to the contents of the pan, the stock or gravy, and salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.
Simmer 1 hour, or until tender, add mushrooms, simmer 10 minutes more and then stir in cream.
Arrange the mushrooms around the crows on a hot platter.

I have the LL Bean Game & Fish cookbook. Lots of weird stuff in that book. No mention of crow. There's a reason for that.

If you have to mask the flavor of the animal, it's not ok.

But, I'm good with less skeeters in the backcountry. and yes, there's no recipe for them in the book either.

The UC scientists modified the mosquito genes so that they could not carry and transmit Malaria. Although this is still messing with nature, it is not as extreme as creating infertile mosquitos that would wipe out the species. Still, ethical questions remain and who knows where this can lead.
http://news.uci.edu/research/university ... osquitoes/