Southern Gulf states have been hit by storm after storm this hurricane season, causing devastation, billions of dollars of damage, and loss of life.
And, sadly, recovery efforts are being bogged down by another unfortunate after-effect of these storms. As hurricanes continue to ravage the Gulf Coast this season, many areas are seeing a mosquito population boom due to the floods and storm water.
Swarms of mosquitoes bred from floodwaters have been attacking people and livestock, and wreaking havoc, particularly in southern Louisiana. Livestock and cattle numbering in the hundreds have been killed by these floodwater mosquitoes in the last few weeks.
Government and health officials are warning locals to take precautions, and are also helping in the battle to exterminate the mosquito threat. The U.S. Air Force has been assisting southern Louisiana with mosquito control by dropping loads of insecticide from the air.
As these hurricanes lash the coast, the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area has been spared from devastating storm fronts, but has still been hit by rain from outer bands of storms.
When hurricanes, cold fronts, and thunder storms bring rain to DFW, they raise water levels and create large areas of standing water. Standing water is the breeding ground for mosquitoes, and with mosquito-borne West Nile Virus (WNV) infections still on the rise in Dallas and Tarrant counties, we can’t be too careful.
Although floodwater mosquitoes are less likely to carry deadly disease, they are still extremely aggressive biters.
Even a tiny amount of standing water, like a small puddle, will attract mosquitoes. These insects lay their eggs in the standing water and the eggs hatch after 7 days of water exposure.
Eggs that were previously laid in the soil near flooded areas will be able to hatch once storms and floodwater raise the water level high enough as well, bringing even more mosquitoes on the scene.
“Mosquitoes will typically lay eggs in areas that have previously been flooded or have standing water for an extended period of time,” explains Gecko Green pest control expert, Jeremy Wittenauer. “These mosquitoes are just waiting for the right amount of water from flooding to hatch.”
Take steps to keep you and your family safe.
During this season of extra rain and higher risk of WNV exposure, health officials are urging people to take every precaution to avoid mosquito bites.
As rain creates flooded areas this storm season, check your property for areas of standing water and remove them. Yard items such as birdbaths or plastic pools should be dumped every two days and have the water replaced.
Look for standing water on trash can lids, plant pots, furniture, gutters, rain spouts, buckets and yard toys. Check around your grass to see if any puddles have formed and remained stagnant. Remove or treat all areas of standing water.
As storms cause damage, more people are spending time outside cleaning up and making repairs. This extra outdoor time puts people at a higher risk of exposure to mosquito bites. If you must be outside for any reason, wear long sleeves, pants, and insect repellant.
The most effective way to keep mosquitoes off your property and away from your family is to hire a professional mosquito control service.
Not only will the professionals be able to spray your property for insect removal, they will also be able to help you in identifying any areas of concern on your property. A mosquito control service can even treat areas of standing water that can’t be removed like large rain puddles or flood water.
To learn more about mosquitos, read our article on the most common questions about mosquitos in Dallas.
At Gecko Green, we only use the best solutions available in the industry. Our mosquito control treatments in North Texas are so effective that we can eliminate your mosquito population in no time.
When you have mosquitoes in your yard you aren’t just worried about itchy bites. Mosquitoes can transmit dangerous diseases to you, your children, and your pets. Diseases like West Nile Virus, the Zika Virus, and more are known to cause serious health concerns.
Let us kill off these mosquitoes in your yard so you can have peace of mind. Call Gecko Green today!
