FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
It’s Mosquito Season
Unlike June of last year,
this month has been particularly dry.
While homeowners find it necessary to water their lawns, and fruit and
vegetable growers worry about the lack of rain, the dry weather has resulted in
one positive result--fewer mosquitos.
A versatile insect, the
mosquito is a nuisance to humans, other mammals, birds, frogs and snakes as
well. In fact, mosquitos also transmit
canine heart worm, so it is important for dog owners to have their pets tested
for heart worm annually and to be sure their animal takes preventative heart
worm medication (available from the veterinarian) from spring through the end
of fall.
There are 3,000 different
species of mosquitos worldwide; forty-four different breeds of mosquitoes call
Connecticut home. These insects are
very adept at flying--they can travel at rates up to 10 m.p.h., even darting in
between raindrops, and can also fly backwards.
Only the females bite: they require a blood meal in order to develop
eggs. In fact, just 24 hours after
hatching, a female mosquito is ready for her first meal.
Mosquitos track down their
next meal by noting body warmth, odor, and moisture, even the carbon dioxide we
exhale. When biting, the mosquito
injects a small amount of saliva that slows coagulation so the blood flows
freely. The itch and welt that occur
after a bite are actually an allergic reaction to that saliva.
Mosquitos can pose a health
hazard to humans because they are capable of transmitting diseases through
their bites. This is particularly true
in tropical countries, where malaria, yellow fever, and Dengue fever are
concerns. In the United states, the
main public health concern is eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), in which the
virus grows in certain species of birds and is transmitted to horses or people. (It cannot spread directly from the horses
or the people infected.) Fortunately,
eastern equine encephalitis is rare; since 1938, there have been no confirmed
human cases in Connecticut. In fact,
recent tests of almost 2000 mosquitos from 17 locations in the state found no
EEE.
But even without the threat
of health risks, mosquitoes can make it difficult to enjoy the outdoors during
the warm weather. Certain steps can be
taken to help reduce the discomfort caused by these persistent creatures this
summer:
·
Avoid outdoor activities
one hour before and one hour after dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most
active.
·
Wear long-sleeved shirts
and long pants when outdoors; it is especially important to cover up the arms
and legs of children.
·
Use a mosquito
repellent; those containing DEET are most effective. Always follow the directions on the product label.
·
Cover babies’ playpens
and carriages with mosquito netting when outdoors.
·
Avoid camping near fresh
water swamps, and use mosquito netting in tents.
In
addition to protecting the body, residents also can intervene environmentally
to reduce the number of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes lay eggs on standing water and the larvae are an important
source of food for certain fish. Later,
the adults are eaten by animals such as bats and birds. So, it is possible to combat the mosquito
problem at a number of stages:
·
Eliminate sources of
standing water such as stagnant ponds, ditches, even flower pots and old tires
(a mosquito only needs a few tablespoons of water to lay eggs.) Look for places where rainwater collects and
fill all holes and depressions. Store
boats, wheelbarrows, and containers upside down. Drain children’s pools, clean clogged gutters, and flush
birdbaths and fountains once or twice each week.
·
Patch holes in screens:
make sure screens are tightly attached to doors and windows.
·
If you have a pond,
stock it with fish. Goldfish and
minnows eat mosquito larvae.
·
Use low toxicity
insecticides, always following the directions on the product. (When applying sprays, keep the wind at your
back, carry the spray away from you, and avoid personal contact with it and
excessive inhalation of spray materials.)
·
Consider placing bat
houses on your property.
·
When mosquitos are
really numerous, stay indoors.
Additional
information is available at the Central Connecticut Health District at
721-2822.