Community Corner

Early And Active Mosquito Season in 2011

Experts blame unseasonable wet winter and early spring for this year's active mosquito season.

This year's mosquito season kicked in early and shows no sign of letting up anytime soon. Experts attribute the high incidence of mosquitoes to the unseasonably wet winter and spring in the area, which brought in an early and unusually large population. This was due to the excess amounts of standing water, which provides the perfect breeding ground for these pesky pests.

“When the ground is already soaked, the water from new rains has nowhere to go. This creates pools of standing water and ideal conditions for a mosquito infestation,” said Shay Runion, an expert with Arrow Pest. “Unfortunately with mosquitoes, not only do they breed quickly, they can also spread diseases such as West Nile Virus and Encephalitis.” 

Mosquitoes look to breed in stagnant water – and it only takes 10 to 14 days to develop from an egg into an adult. Always hungry, mosquitoes will travel up to 14 miles for a meal and they are most known for the painful, itchy red bumps they leave behind on their victims.

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To prevent against a mosquito infestation, Arrow Exterminators recommends that homeowners take the following simple, proactive measures:

  • Eliminate sources of standing water such as old tires, children's wading pools, birdbaths and flower pots;
  • Keep rain gutters cleaned out to prevent water from standing in drains;
  • Cut back or get rid of unnecessary vegetation around the home where mosquitoes can breed and/or nest;
  • When swimming pools aren’t in use, keep them covered to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs;
  • Remove water that has collected in tree holes and hollow stumps;
  • Screen windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside homes; and
  • Consider using yellow bug light bulbs in outdoor light fixtures – the bulbs reduce the number of flying insects around your home by emitting a soft yellow light that these pests can’t see.

Accuweather gives a daily mosquito forecast that allows people planning any outdoor activity to get advanced notification on whether they need to plan to combat a mosquito invasion during the event.

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