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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – The Greater Lafayette area has far exceeded its normal rainfall for the year, and this is only the beginning of June. With more rain brings more mosquitoes – everyone's favorite virus, right?
Well, maybe not.
This common thought is not necessarily common sense. The rainfall / mosquito ratio depends on the species and type of weather.
Mosquitoes live and breed in water, so sometimes more rainfall can contribute to the population. However, Indiana has experienced such storms and torrential downpours, so we may not have to spray the insect control product for the moment.
Keyword "again".
No one likes pests and no one can appreciate the above-average rainfall that Indiana has experienced this spring.
Except mosquitoes.
"It's so logical to think about water, rain and mosquitoes," said Dr. Timothy Gibb, an insect diagnostic specialist at Purdue University.
According to the National Weather Service, Lafayette has recorded 19.5 inches of precipitation in 2019. It's 5.5 inches above normal, which has a major impact on the mosquito population.
"Rains can bring water, mosquitoes live in the water," Dr. Gibb said.
There are hundreds of different mosquito species.
"In Indiana, I bet we have about 15 different species."
One is culex, the carrier species of West Nile virus. The culex species are grouped together and called domestic mosquitoes or breeding mosquitoes in containers.
With all the rain that has poured into Indiana and the stagnant waters that seem to never disappear, does Indiana have a higher risk of transmission? Timothy Gibb says no. It's actually exactly the opposite.
"We expect fewer culex mosquitoes this year."
Culex mosquitoes thrive in highly organic stagnant waters near homes and residential neighborhoods.
"The mosquito passes by metamorphic, it lays its eggs near the water or in the water, the larvae hatch."
If stagnant water is left on its own, it means that more culex mosquitoes will develop.
However, since Indiana has experienced such showers, the eggs are washed away before hatching.
"These containers around houses or gutters … will fill up so quickly that the larvae will be evacuated, which is good because it kills them."
By "containers", Mr. Gibb refers to buckets, old tires, birdbaths, children's pools, etc., anything that can hold water near you. Culex mosquitoes can even develop in blocked gutters. So, what should you do?
"Get rid of any container that may contain water.This is a preventative measure."
Although we do not need to worry so much about West Nile virus transmission this year, Dr. Gibb said we should always be worried.
This is because Indiana is about to see a lot of flooded water mosquitoes. The mosquitoes of the flood waters are a different species, the aedes mosquitoes, and can fly over very long distances.
Due to the amount of floods that the state has experienced this spring, these pests will be multiplied this year.
The Aedes species lives in agricultural fields that hold water for a long time, or in flooded rivers or streams. In general, mosquitoes in flood waters do not transmit any disease. Dr. Gibb said that if they were sick, they would not be the same specter as West Nile virus.
With Culex species, it is too early to know if there are currently cases of West Nile virus in our region or state. The tests are usually done in summer, around July and August.
Dr. Gibb recommends avoiding areas with a lot of vegetation, but if you must, use an insect repellent. He also mentioned that early in the morning and in the evening were the times when mosquitoes were the most active, and you should avoid going out into the wild.
Dr. Gibb mentioned that Hoosiers do not have to worry about Zika virus. The mosquito species that bears Zika is not present in Indiana.
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