Mosquitoes are thriving in areas not usually occupied by mosquitoes due to climate change, according to a recent Washington Post article.
This article focuses mostly on Los Angeles, which is an area where residents are not typically bothered by mosquitoes. This city has always had Culex, a small brown mosquito that typically bites at dusk and can carry diseases like West Nile, but now they are seeing the Aedes mosquito.
This black-and-white-striped mosquito are aggressive biters drawn to humans at all hours. They breed in standing water, and their eggs can lie dormant for months or even years on dry surfaces. In addition to yellow fever, they can transmit Zika, dengue fever and other diseases to humans and pets.
With the hot weather staying around longer, and humidity increasing, this creates a perfect environment for mosquitoes to thrive.
To ensure that your property stays mosquito-free walk your property every week and look for mosquito breeding sites. These will be areas that have standing water, I.e., children’s toys, pet water bowls, dead leaves, etc. Make sure we are tipping and tossing out water!
As always, the best way to truly prevent mosquitoes from ruining your backyard fun is to work with a local mosquito control specialist.