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The neighborhoods of Fayetteville have been invaded by large black mosquitoes in recent days.
Robert Phillips walked on the porch of his Eastover home to water flowers Tuesday night and was almost immediately overrun with aggressive mosquitoes.
Worse, Phillips said, one type of mosquito was among the largest that he had ever seen – at least 3/8 of an inch long.
"A bad sci-fi film," he said. "They were flooding me and one of them landed on me – it was like a little blackbird." I told my wife, "Gosh, look at the size of This thing. "I told him I had to use a shotgun on these things if they were getting bigger.
Phillips is one of many residents of Cumberland County who report an outbreak of mosquitoes, contrary to what they've experienced since passing through the remnants of Hurricane Florence in the area. Rainwater from the storm – nearly 20 inches in some areas of the county – has created breeding grounds for large, aggressive mosquitoes.
Mosquito experts say that floodwaters have caused egg hatching for species such as the large mosquito Psorophora ciliata. The mosquito, which is two to three times larger than an ordinary mosquito by weight, has been referred to as "gallinipper" or "fluffy legged gallinipper" because of its tendency to adopt aggressive behavior. Psorophora ciliata is associated with other mosquitoes from flood waters. Mosquitoes often lay eggs in low areas with moist soil and grassy growth. Eggs are dormant in dry weather and then hatch as a result of heavy rains or floods, often producing a very large number of adult mosquitoes.
Michael Reiskind, professor of entomology at North Carolina State University, said the stagnant water from the hurricane was causing eggs to hatch for a wide variety of mosquito species.
"There are 61 species in North Carolina that are thriving," he said, adding that they were looking to hatch this type of storm.
"In a normal year, in the absence of a hurricane or significant rainfall, most of these eggs would probably die before even having a chance to hatch," Reiskind said. "But with all the water that appeared, they were lucky enough to be born. In some cases, the eggs can live a year. "
He said mosquitoes that hatch in flood waters are not new species and they were not washed away by other areas of the state during the storm. He said that the species observed now are not as visible in dry weather because there are fewer.
"The female has a strategy of laying lots of eggs. Eggs are good for survival, they are sort of on horseback and are waiting for a big flood, "said Reiskind. "When floods occur, we have billions of them. The good news is that many mosquitoes that we see in large numbers after an event like Florence do not transmit many diseases. "
Reiskind says that spraying insecticide is a pretty effective way to reduce mosquitoes. But he said it was harder to kill them when they are grouped in large numbers, as they are now.
Sally Shutt, deputy county director, said in an email that the county "was actively engaged in evaluating mosquito spray options and in developing a process for obtaining quotes from suppliers."
Last Wednesday, Governor Roy Cooper said that $ 4 million would go to fight mosquitoes in the counties under the Florence disaster declaration, including Cumberland and neighboring counties, as well as Scotland and Lee. The money will help the counties to ensure their eradication.
Shirley Chao, a professor of biology at Fayetteville State University, said she has seen two of the Psorophora ciliata mosquitoes since the storm hit.
"They are much bigger than the normal mosquito. Their larvae are much larger. They are like bullies in the water and feed on other mosquitoes, "she said. "I think some people thought they would be beneficial because they eat other mosquito larvae that cause disease. But they will steal and bite you and suck your blood, so they are just as harmful as another mosquito. But the bite is much more painful.
Mosquitoes can emerge days or weeks after a flood or heavy rain, and they can be more than a nuisance. Some may carry viruses.
To protect you from exposure, Rodney Jenkins, Acting Director of the County Environmental Health Department, said that if your body temperature could withstand, cover your arms and legs. The best types of repellents are those containing DEET.
"We strongly encourage everyone to use the tip-and-toss method to eliminate stagnant water and mosquito breeding grounds that may be in garbage cans or empty tires," Jenkins said.
The Department of Environmental Health, located at 1235 Ramsey Street, offers free pest disks – or donuts as they are often called – to eliminate mosquitoes. Discs can be deposited in standing water that can be found in yards or ponds.
On the brighter plane, infestation by mosquitoes should decrease when the weather becomes cool and dry.
Editor John Henderson can be contacted at [email protected] or 910-486-3596. Corresponding Keyona Smith can be reached at 910-323-4848.
Keyona Smith contributed to this report.
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