Mosquitoes could be a bigger problem this year | Sports

Wet conditions over the past year could lead to a more serious problem with mosquitoes.

"All they need is water," said Sherry Dawson, chief operating officer of the Mosquito Joe franchise in south-central Pennsylvania.

Heavy rains and snowmelt increased the risk of stagnant water and the potential for adult female insects to lay hundreds of eggs on surfaces as small as a water bottle cap.

Dawson said that these eggs only needed a sustained temperature of 50 degrees or more to hatch and develop into larvae. She said that there have been times last year when the mosquito index on the Weather Channel peaked at the highest level.

"We have received a lot of calls," Dawson said. His company provides clients with services to educate customers about the need to empty collected water in planters, grill covers, dog bowls or other open containers.

"They could all be a breeding ground for mosquitoes," Dawson said. "Discard the water. Once hatched, they look for blood to be able to lay more eggs. "

Cumberland County Vector Control Department staff are already pre-treating known areas of stagnant water and hot spots, said Marcus Snyder, a public health technician.

"We try to take care of these areas from the beginning so that they are easier to manage," he said. "It really depends on how much water we get during the hot season. … What will happen in the coming weeks if the water stays or disappears? "

Like Snyder, Dawson and the staff of Mosquito Joe treat properties before the insect eggs that survived the winter trap.

Like mosquitoes, tick eggs remain dormant during the winter months. To become active, eggs must reach a constant temperature of about 45 degrees, said Dawson.

She predicts that warmer temperatures this winter could lead to a larger population of ticks. Pennsylvania reported 10,000 cases of Lyme disease last year, but there is good reason to believe that the number of unreported cases could be 10 times greater because the symptoms look like d? other diseases, said Dawson.

There is also the problem of detection. Ticks can be as small as a period or point when they lock for the first time on a host. The size of the tick increases as she gets thinner with blood.

It is likely that more cases will be reported this year, Dawson said. "Ticks are not just in the woods. They are in the yard. They are waiting for a guest in tall grbades, trees and shrubs. They are waiting for you to brush and tie.

"Make sure the lawn is cut. Remove the bushes. Cut the tall grbad, "Dawson said. She suggested setting up a gravel zone three feet wide between a yard and a wooded area to deter ticks from crawling. Ticks and mosquitoes like shady places in the courtyards.

This year, vector control is helping to monitor ticks throughout the state in order to track the life cycle of the pest to determine its most active stages, said Snyder.