The summer is officially behind us, and we know what everyone is thinking…no more worrying about mosquitoes for the rest of the year! We wish that were true, but given the climate in central Texas, we still have to take precautions. As such, we thought this was a nice time to take a look at what is going on in mosquito news here, and around the country. Please contact us if you have any questions or want to learn more.

Article #1: Summer Mosquito Woes Don’t End on Labor Day

According to the CDC, more than 5,300 Zika virus cases have been reported since 2015. And even thought summer is over, we can expect mosquitos to continue to be a presence as long as the temperature stays above 60-degrees. The article falls short, as they don’t take the time to cover all of the possible ways to reduce your potential exposure.

Article #2:  Citizen Scientists Collect 29,000 Mosquitoes in Germany and Help Detect Spreading Populations of Invasive Species

This article describes a national Neighborhood Watch program taken to the next level!  The term “citizen science” describes community-based participation by the public in scientific projects, often via data gathering. Worldwide, citizens have long been enlisted to help scientists with projects such as counting birds and butterflies and reporting astronomical phenomena, a partnership that has been extended into research on public health. Our favorite part is where we learn the meaning of the latin term, corpus delicti, or the whole body of the insect.

Article #3: Mosquitoes invade, swarm into Texas after Hurricane Harvey

With all of the other events that we’ve seen since the end of August, it’s easy to forget that Hurricane Harvey swept through coastal Texas and Houston only a month ago. Hurricanes leave significant amounts of standing water behind, which provides fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes to lay eggs.

Article #4: Mosquitoes, Medicine and Mold: Texas Battles Post-Harvey Health Issues

Texas is going to see a variety of issues created by Hurricane Harvey. With many volunteers coming and going from the coastal regions and Houston, the effects are widespread. Clinics, local governments and many services are overwhelmed and don’t expect that to change for the foreseeable future.

Needless to say, Mosquito season is not over in Texas. As we move into the fall, and see more rain, it is a good time to talk to one of our professionals about your residential mosquito prevention.