Heavy rain, storm surge, warmer temps all aid breeding ground
This year’s moderate temperatures combined with heavy rainfall and storm surges from hurricanes Harvey and Nate contributed to an increase in mosquitoes, as well as helping them stay around longer.
“It’s been a rather active mosquito season this year,” said Steven G. Pavlovich, etymologist with Mosquito Control
Pavlovich said the population has increased 20 percent in some areas of the parish including Ama, Willowdale, Destrehan and Ormond that are near water.
Neighboring parishes like Jefferson and St. John the Baptist have experienced even higher increases.
“We typically have mosquitoes at this time of year, but the population is larger because of the hurricanes,” Pavlovich said. “Nate put some storm surge in the area with higher than normal tides.”
Cooler temperatures in the low 50’s can slow their activity, but not necessarily kill them, he said.
Last week, the parish doing some aerial spraying to suppress the population, as well as the weather getting cooler did help some, he said. But with temperatures returning in the upper 70’s, Pavlovich said, “a lot of those mosquitoes will return.”
They find cover in “micro climates” under a house or in a pipe to stay warm and then a couple of days later when its warms up the mosquitoes are back, he said.
Aided by temperate weather and more breeding grounds, he said it’s possible they could still be her in healthy numbers into December.
At this time of year, periodic rainfall is usually the main contributor to mosquito growth, but this year’s wetter conditions were conducive to their growth, he said.
Although Hurricane Nate veered eastward onto Alabama and Mississippi on Oct. 7, it pushed waters onto much of the Gulf coast.
Pavlovich said pre-Halloween spraying – by truck and aerial – is not usual for this time of year. Areas with higher mosquito counts are being targeted for additional spraying in an attempt to lower those numbers before the holiday, which brings people outdoors.
Described as “more aggravating and more aggressive,” these mosquitoes are more pest than disease carrier because conditions favor their breeding in areas like marshes.
However, he said, disease carriers are still out there and still warrant taking precautions.
But Pavlovich also warned that West Nile can be transmitted at time of year now and residents are advised to be vigilant with avoiding mosquitoes. Although high water flushed out the breeding ground of the disease carriers, they are still out there.
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