Wet weather ushers in mosquitoes

Go ahead and blame Hurricane Alex for possibly bringing in the mosquitoes.

Gregg County Extension Agent Dennis Smith said an increase in mosquito breeding can be seen anytime there’s wet weather.

Bloodsucking insects are not welcome at family barbecues and outdoor gatherings for a reason. Aside from being pesky, annoying or at least mildly bothersome, mosquitoes can carry harmful diseases such as West Nile virus, which causes encephalitis (swelling of the brain.) It’s rare, but being bitten by an infected mosquito can lead to death.

This past year, nine Texans died from the virus, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. However, the CDC reports 80 percent of people infected with West Nile Virus will not show any symptoms.

Mosquitoes are the hosts for several other disease causing agents, including the protozoa that causes malaria, the virus that causes yellow fever and the filarial that causes heart worms in dogs.

Experts agree on four strategies for avoiding mosquito interaction:

■ Avoid going out early in the morning and later in the evening.

■ Dress in long-sleeve and light-colored clothing.

■ Use mosquito repellent.

■ Drain standing water.

Once reported to be the only officially recommended repellent, the CDC now says Picaridin, lemon eucalyptus oil and IR3535 are just as effective as DEET.

Smith recommends eliminating standing water around the house such as a pet’s water bowl or flower pots because they pose as breeding grounds for the insects.

Geoff Heinicke, city environmental health manager, explained different types of mosquitoes breed in different environments, and the problem-causing mosquitos typically breed in man-made materials such as old tires and roof gutters.

According to the CDC, the female mosquito bites people and animals because it needs the protein found in blood to help develop eggs. They then lay their eggs in even a small amount of standing water.

The city applies pesticides to standing water that have mosquito larvae. Heinicke said the city goes after stagnant water early in the morning and applies larvicide because it is the most effective way of minimizing the mosquito population.

“We’re constantly doing it anytime we get rain,” he said.

As a last resort, Heinicke said the city will go out and spray the areas with a high concentration of mosquitoes when a resident makes a complaint.

He said this is not as effective as the larvicide method because it only kills adult mosquitoes that are out in that area.

Smith said the main thing is to protect yourself by wearing mosquito repellent and wear long sleeves. He added mosquitoes tend to bother some people more than others but to be careful with young children and the elderly.

For more information, go to health.longviewtexas.gov/moto-
information.