OH "FLY" WITH ME!

Every insect that disturbs our comfort, effects our health or lives upon plants of value to us we class as a "pest" and there seems to be no part of the world that is free of insect pests. For although man has subdued the larger predatory animals the insect still claims his bit (or should we say bite?).

Insects, as well as being foes of man, are also foes of the other of the larger animals. The Deer Fly is so named because they are the chief pest of the deer in the hot weather. Just at present Deer are quite abundant along the Van Trump Trail and several parties have reported seeing deer (one party saw six) standing beneath the cool spray of Comet Falls where they are free from these flies. On a recent trip up this trail the writer saw several deer in the woods all busily protecting themselves from the flies by vigorously switching their ears and tail and they were also making use of the brush in removing the flies that had attached themselves to their bodies. No doubt the protection offerred by the falls has caused them to congregate along this trail. Even the Mountain Goat in his high habitat is not free from pests. Almost every hot day the Goats go out upon the ice of the glaciers where they can rest in comfort from both heat and flies.

The mosquito season in the high alpine meadows is about over at the present time. The misquito of this region is called the Snow Mosquito because they breed in the pools of water left by the melting snow. These pools are mostly dried up at the present time and so the annoying pest that breeds there is no longer numerous.

. . . Charles Landes, Ranger-Naturalist.

MOVING DAY FOR MRS. SQUIRREL

The other day it was reported that a Ground Squirrel, apparantely dissatisfied with her quarters beneath the Ranger Cabin near the Community Bldg., had moved her family of three youngsters to a burrow beneath a clump of Alpine Fir trees. She did not merely escort her brood but carried them, one by one, requiring three trips to complete the transfer. The witness saw her go scampering along with what appeared to be a fur neckpiece about her neck but upon closer observation it was seen that the "neck piece" was a young squirrel which was clinging to the mother in that fashion as she carried it to the new home.