As hurricanes barrel through the Space Coast, they tend to wipe out adult mosquito populations. That’s the good news. The bodies of these insects are simply too delicate to survive such high winds. But that doesn’t mean these ferocious storms reduce mosquito numbers in the long term – far from it.
Here’s the bad news: The copious rains from hurricanes and their aftermath leave pools of standing water everywhere. Those mosquitoes killed off in the storm have already laid eggs in the surrounding soil. When rainwater inundates the ground, these hatch into teeming masses of free-swimming larvae. Between four and 14 days later, the larvae emerge to take wing as adults.
For that reason, Florida residents are likely to notice a spike in the mosquito population after periods of heavy, sustained rainfall. Fortunately, these tend to be nuisance mosquitoes rather than disease carriers. But they are still an unwelcome species, especially when they get into the house and buzz around sleepers at night.
It’s important to eliminate as much standing water on the property as possible. Look for items that can fill with water and provide an ideal nursery for floodwater mosquitoes – sagging tarps, tires, dog dishes, etc. Change the water in bird baths and scrub to remove any eggs left behind. Puddles and ditches can be especially problematic, so empty them wherever you can. Outdoor containers, such as trash and recycling bins, should have holes in the bottom to allow drainage.
If you have a swimming pool, be sure it’s properly chlorinated to prevent the proliferation of larvae. This might require shocking the pool to kill them off.
All it takes is a little effort and maintenance to stave off a full-scale invasion.
Remember, for all your pest-control needs, contact Slug-A-Bug for a free, no-obligation inspection. Call us at (321) 259-7844.
For more information:
https://scdhec.gov/mosquito-control-after-hurricane-or-flood
https://waterandhealth.org/disinfect/wake-hurricanes-problem-standing-water/
https://www.mosquito.org/page/biology
https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/community/mosquitoes-and-hurricanes.html