The hot, humid weather gripping Connecticut recently is the perfect formula to create a boom in the state's mosquito population.
“Mosquitoes do very well in hot and humid conditions. Once the temperature starts to drop and that humidity increases, mosquitos are going to come out from their resting spots during the day and looking for something to bite and get a blood meal from," said John Shepard, a scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES).
Not only are their bites pesky, but some of the mosquitoes are carrying diseases. This is what Shepard and his team at the CAES lab in New Haven are testing daily.
“It’s going to be an active West Nile Virus season. Typically what we would expect. Our first West Nile Virus positive mosquitoes were detected in the third week of June which is early for this time of year,” Shepard said.
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Shepard said there are 180 mosquito trapping locations throughout the state, with a presence in all eight counties. The traps are brought to the New Haven lab where the types of mosquitoes are identified. They are then tested for diseases. Currently, there are 12 positive tests of West Nile Virus in the state.
“In New Haven County and lower Fairfield County, a lot of those sites in those urban, suburban areas are sites where we expect to see West Nile Virus popping up in mosquitoes as well as the Greater Hartford area,” Shepard explained.
Experts say now is the time to take precautions, while cases are still low. Removing standing water is one way to decrease the amount of mosquitoes outside of your home. Another way to try and avoid being bitten is wearing the right clothes and protection.
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"If it’s a bird bath, if it’s a children’s toys, if it’s a small wading pool. If you can empty water out of those once a week, that would go a long way," Shepard said. “Certainly long pants, long sleeve shirts are an option, but also we would also want to emphasize that you could use a EPA registered mosquito repellant.
Shepard said mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn so it is especially important to take precautions during those times of day.
