Mosquitoes make the summer soggy more miserable

This summer was less than perfect – at least for humans.

There was heat, humidity and torrential rains. This is not the kind of weather that people want to spend a lot of time outdoors.

But while people may not be in love with the weather, it has been a treat for mosquitoes.

"This summer has been a perfect storm for mosquitoes," said Dr. Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist for the National Pest Management Association.

Mosquitoes like humid and hot weather. In fact, they need it to survive and reproduce.

Fredericks said that mosquitoes, like butterflies, undergo a "complete metamorphosis". This means that they start as eggs and go through larval and nymphal phases before they become adults that fly around and bite people and animals, causing red bumps and itching.

"It's the fifth-grade science class you thought you could forget," Fredericks said with a laugh.

The first three stages of a mosquito's life – egg, larva and nymph – are all aquatic, said Frederick. This means that the puddles left by the heavy rains of this summer are a welcome site for mosquito eyes.

"When there is a lot of stagnant water, there are many places where mosquitoes breed and lay their eggs," he said.

Evan Corondi, a mosquito-borne disease control program and outreach coordinator for the Berks County Conservation District, said the same thing.

"Every time it rains, it increases their habitat," he said.

Corondi spent Tuesday night touring Reading in a white pickup truck with a sprayer mounted at the back. He traveled to residential and recreational areas, spraying as part of a mosquito control operation.

Berks County, which is already facing an infestation of skylights, has also seen a slight increase in the number of mosquitoes.

"The mosquito population has increased significantly this year," said Corondi.

Areas where mosquito counts are normally high – near water – are still high this year, he said, but the same is true for areas where populations are generally not high. important.

Places like Longswamp Township, he said, have more because of the amount of stagnant water left by summer storms.

"I can not leave my house without spraying myself," said Steve Wyka, Longswamp Township Administrator. "I have never seen it so bad."

Wyka said that there was no body of water near his one hectare property, but that did not stop the mosquitoes from settling down. to a great extent. He said that if he went outside without loathing, he would get "thousands of bites".

They even found their way into his garage, he said, feasting while he was working on his workbench.

"There are so many," he says.

And it's not just Berks County that is leading this battle.

A problem of West Nile

Neil Shader, press secretary of the State Department of Environmental Protection, said the number of mosquitoes was on the rise throughout the state. And this could cause an increase in the prevalence of West Nile virus.

"The weather – especially all the rains, which have left not only stagnant flood waters, but stagnant water in general – have been very favorable to mosquito populations," he said. "I have no exact comparison with last year compared to last year, but last week there were more than 2,100 positive virus samples against the virus of the last year. West Nile, up from about 2,500 last year. "

September is in the middle of the high season West Nile virus, said Mr Shader, which means that the number of positive mosquito samples will continue to increase throughout the month.

Similarly, in Berks County, the number of positive samples for West Nile has increased. As of August 15, there were 122 against 118 last year.

Fortunately, Berks County has not reported a human case of West Nile virus this year, although there have been 21 human cases in the whole country, some in neighboring counties such as Lancaster , Lebanon, Bucks and Montgomery.

According to Corondi, mosquito spraying efforts at Berks target the most exposed areas.

"We have concentrated our control sprays within Reading because of the larger population of people and therefore the increased risk that someone is coming in contact with a sick mosquito," he said. "Exeter has its own spraying program and coordinates with us for monitoring."

Ditch the water

Shader, Corondi and Fredericks shared the same tips for fighting the plague of mosquitoes – getting rid of stagnant water.

"We recommend doing a study of your yard," Fredericks said.

This means clearing the gutters, emptying the bird baths and freshening the water in the pet dishes. Toys, dishes under potted plants and tires are other places to look for water.

And it does not matter the amount of water that contains something; even the smallest amount can be a problem.

"Mosquitoes can feed on the amount of water needed to fill a bottle cap," Fredericks said. "And in 85 degree heat, they can mature in about five or six days."

In addition to getting rid of mosquito breeding areas, experts also recommend to people who wish to spend time outdoors to use an effective repellent.

"Wearing an insect repellent with DEET or picaridine, or wearing clothes treated with permethrin is essential for people who will be outside," Shader said.

Fredericks says lemon eucalyptus oil also works. He urged consumers to check the labels on repellents and look for a registration number of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. He said, be sure to follow the instructions on the label.

"They are there for a reason," he said.

These tips will probably prove helpful, endless for the mosquito problem. They usually stay in place until at least the end of the summer, and Mr. Corondi said the extra humidity and heat of the summer could extend this period even longer.

"Plan at least another month," he said.

Contact David Mekeel at 610-371-5014 or [email protected].