You know them as the annoying bug of Florida. And with all the recent rainfall, you’ve probably been seeing a lot more mosquitos than usual.
According to Jae Williams, communications director for the Florida Department of Health, it’s nothing new. Since we're the most tropical state in the country, he said, Florida is never fully out of mosquito season.
“This is just part of it. We deal with mosquitoes the same way we deal with sunshine and alligators and snakes, right?” Williams said. ”It's just part of our climate.”
Williams urges residents not to panic, but to focus on taking precautions. He strongly recommends the "drain and cover" method — draining stagnant pools of water, and selecting clothing that covers your arms and legs.
And while mosquito bites can be troublesome, the diseases they could be carrying are even more so.
These bugs can be carriers of multiple illnesses, such as dengue and West Nile virus. Cases of both have been reported in Florida this summer.
However, Williams said Florida is well equipped to handle the situation.
“We are nationally renowned for our mosquito-borne illness surveillance and responses,” Williams said.
Part of the state’s surveillance program is keeping track of flooded areas. Pools of accumulated water are prone to becoming mosquito breeding grounds.
"Typically, if there is flooding in an area, we would hope to see those waters recede within about 24 hours, which is not enough time for a mosquito to go through its complete life cycle,” said Caroline Scott, senior environmental specialist with Pinellas Mosquito Control.
Scott said coordinating with stormwater management and vegetation control is essential for her agency during periods of inclement weather.
“We have gotten concerns about that potential breeding risk, but with our 11 technicians stationed throughout the county, we've made sure to do thorough inspections,” Scott said. “We also answer service requests by the public, if requested.”
According to Scott, you can request multiple mosquito-control services from your county, through their website. For example, Pinellas offers free Gambusia fish to citizens by request — a native species of fish that feeds on mosquito larvae.
For more tips on dealing with mosquitos, and information on treatments in Pinellas County, you can visit their website.
