Do Penguins Have Knees? by David Feldman Page B

many variations now. If women have a problem with fat bulging under the legs of the girdle, they can buy a long-leg girdle. If fat is sneaking out the midriff, a high-waist girdle will solve the problem.
    Niddrie explains that the flesh is so loose that it can be redistributed without discomfort. Shapewear is made of softer and more giving fabrics. The modern girdle acts more like a back brace or an athletic supporter—providing support can actually feel good.
    “Full-figured” women are aware of so-called minimizer bras that work by redistributing tissue over a wider circumference. When the flesh is spread out over a wider surface area, it actually appears to be smaller in bulk. Modern girdles work the same way. You can demonstrate the principle yourself. Instead of poking a fatty part of your body with your finger, press it in gently with your whole hand—there should be much less displacement of flesh.
    Niddrie credits DuPont’s Lycra with helping to make girdles acceptable to younger women today. So we talked to Susan Habacivch, a marketing specialist at DuPont, who, unremarkably, agreed that adding 15 to 30 percent Lycra to traditional materials has helped make girdles much more comfortable. The “miracle” of Lycra is that it conforms to the body shape of the wearer, enabling foundation garments to even and smooth out flesh without compressing it. The result: no lumps or bumps. Girdles with Lycra don’t eliminate the fat but they “share the wealth” with adjoining areas.
     
    Submitted by Cynthia Crossen of Brooklyn, New York .
     
     
    What Do Mosquitoes Do During the Day? And Where Do They Go?
     
    At any hour of the day, somewhere in the world, a mosquito is biting someone. There are so many different species of mosquitoes, and so much variation in the habits among different species, it is hard to generalize. Some mosquitoes, particularly those that live in forests, are diurnal. But most of the mosquitoes in North America are active at night, and classified as either nocturnal or crepuscular (tending to be active at the twilight hours of the morning and/or evening).
    Most mosquitoes concentrate all of their activities into a short period of the day or evening, usually in one to two hours. If they bite at night, mosquitoes will usually eat, mate, and lay eggs then, too. Usually, nocturnal and crepuscular female mosquitoes are sedentary, whether they are converting the lipids of blood into eggs or merely waiting to go on a nectar-seeking expedition to provide energy. Although they may take off once or twice a day to find some nectar, a week or more may pass between blood meals.
    If the climatic conditions stay constant, mosquitoes tend to stick to the same resting patterns every day. But according to Charles Schaefer, director of the Mosquito Control Research Laboratory at the University of California at Berkeley, the activity pattern of mosquitoes can be radically changed by many factors:
     
         1. Light (Most nocturnal and crepuscular mosquitoes do not like to take flight if they have to confront direct sunlight. Conversely, in homes, some otherwise nocturnal mosquitoes will be active during daylight hours if the house is dark.)
     2. Humidity (Most will be relatively inactive when the humidity is low.)
     3. Temperature (They don’t like to fly in hot weather.)
     4. Wind (Mosquitoes are sensitive to wind, and will usually not take flight if the wind is more than 10 mph.)
     
    Where are nocturnal mosquitoes hiding during the day? Most never fly far from their breeding grounds. Most settle into vegetation. Grass is a particular favorite. But others rest on trees; their coloring provides excellent camouflage to protect them against predators.
    A common variety of mosquito in North America, the anopheles, often seeks shelter. Homes and barns are favourite targets, but a bridge or tunnel will do in a pinch. Nocturnal or crepuscular mosquitoes are quite content to rest on a wall in