A short post before I forget it.
On a recent trip to Kerala I noticed a perceptible decline in the mosquito menace. I mentioned this at the Lotus Club, Cochin one evening. I was told that shortly after festivals like Onam and Christmas there is a drop in the mosqito population of Kerala. Naturally, I was keen to know the reason.
The story goes like this. Some scientists noticed the phenomena and carried out a research. They found that after the festive seasons, the active mosquitoes die almost en masse. Further studies revealed the reason for this.
The deaths of the insects occurred from cirrhosis of the liver.
Now, how do these pests get the liver ailment which is attributed to excess consumption of liquor? From the alcohol content in the blood stream of the people they bite.
It would appear that unless the mosquitoes go on a fast during festive seasons in Kerala they have very little chance of survival. During Onam celebrations last month, reportedly the liquor consumption in this little state (22 million voters in 2004) was estimated to be worth Rs. 2500 million (Rs. 250 crore)!
It is said that the state has a per capita consumption of 8.3 liters of alcohol. This is the highest in the country.
Incidentally, the figures for Kerala do not include my intake. That comes in the Tamil Nadu statistics.
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Also see:
Christmas spirit in Kerala
Kerala: Onam goes up in spirit
19 comments:
That was hilarius....
the mallu 'kudiyans' will now have one more reason to drink....
I guess the mallu drinkers dont know how to drink moderately.. so they drink and drink to oblivion and let the mosquitoes have a feast.
Good one...!
It could be because the NRK's (non-resident Keralites) come home for vacation...
Kurian
Hahahaha so it's true what they say about Mallus' blood test reports - - that they found blood in their alcohol...
so don't buy "goodnight'.buy macdwell.
my understanding is only female mosquitoes bite humen for blood, so male mosquitoes will be available thare, so can somebody find a such solution for them also.
Very amusing. If it was the females died since only they bite, where did the next lot of mosquitoes come from? Or had they already laid the eggs before going on the biting binge?
that was a classic abe - now the poor malayalai has become a menace to mosquitoes..
happy kitten, thank you for the comment. Earlier Mallus had this habit of 'killing the bottle'. Now it has become killing the bottles.
Yes, Kurian, NRKs coming home for the holidays could be one of the reasons.
Thanks for the comment, Ashvin.
Thank you, sb.
UB should be happy and Goodknight sad with this development.
I suppose that without the female mosquitoes around the males go into withdrawal.
Raji, I suppose there would be enough larve left in the ponds and canals and uncovered house utensils with water in them for sustaining the breed.
Good one, Maddy.
LOL:)Awesome observation... BTW my intake figures in Karnataka...
Thank you Ajith.
Mosquitos don't have livers.
Anyway, look at this BBC story on Kerala's alcohol obsession. What a shame for 'God's Own State"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8557215.stm
Really good one:-) And said, so lightly , hardly a mosquito lighting.
Davey Jones thank you. Based on your lead I have posted a write up, BBC on Kerala Drinking, on March 15. The link is given below:
http://parayilat.blogspot.com/2010/03/bbc-on-keralas-drinking.html
Thank you Kallu. I am glad that you liked the post.
well that is a good one indeed
maybe Mallus should start doing it year round specially in Kochin for it is ok for some mallus to die of cirrhosis if they could do the same with mosquitos !
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