Othello had Voracious Mosquitos

There were so many mosquitoes in Othello that the evening belonged to the mosquito, at least on the farm.  There came a time in the evening that the number of mosquitoes was so great, the only defense was to go in.

However my parents liked to seat on the back porch and talk after the heat of the day had subsided and before it got dark.  On year the decided to fight back against the mosquitoes.  They purchased, and had mounted on the shed across the driveway from our house a mosquito zapper.  This thing had a blue light to attract the mosquitoes, and an electrical current to zap them once they came near.  Early in the evening, the zapper would start to sound.  Zpt, there went the first mosquito burned up.  Then it would go Zpt, zpt, and you knew two in succession had met their end.  Then it was Zpt, zpt, zpt, zpt and the thing would be off.  It did have an effect on the total population.  A mosquito would still find us on the porch from time to time, but we were able to enjoy the cool air until it was time to go in to bed.  In the morning my dad would empty the catch basin of the mosquito carcases.  We could kill a lot of mosquitoes in the night