How To Take The Bite Out Of Mosquito Season

As overnight temperatures rise, Culex mosquitoes begin to hatch. They can carry the West Nile virus, which infected more than 420 people in California last year, killing 19 of them.

Another kind of mosquito is being tested for dengue virus after two people in Los Angeles County contracted the virus last fall, the first locally acquired cases in California. Both people survived.

There’s no local dengue now, but experts say the virus is likely to crop up again and the pesticides used to kill mosquitoes that can spread it have lost some of their bite.

That’s because overuse of over-the counter herbicides can cause the insects to become resistant to the chemicals, said Tristan Hallam, director of scientific programs with the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

Some weed killers contain active ingredients similar to pest control sprays, he said.

“Because it’s being used in two separate scenarios on a consistent basis, there are more opportunities for these adult mosquitoes to have that resistance build up within these populations,” Hallam said.

How To Take The Bite Out Of Mosquito Season

Hallum tests local mosquitoes and rotates which pesticides vector control uses when too many show resistance.

The best defense is to prevent mosquito bites, and keep the insects from getting in your home or breeding nearby.

Continue reading the article written by Jackie Fortiér here.

Foto thumbnail Blog Otè
Repòtè sante granmotan
Jackie Fortier

Mwen kouvri sante nan Sid Kalifòni ak endistri swen sante nan zòn Los Angeles la.

Mwen te kòmanse nan nouvo sa a jis anvan pandemi an fèmen pifò bagay desann e li te yon ane entans jan mwen te travay fè sa k ap pase kòm fasil yo konprann jan mwen kapab. Pou egzanp, isit la nan misyon nou mete pou kouvri woulo vaksen an:

Nou pral ede Angelenos jwenn enfòmasyon egzat sou vaksen an, navige obstak yo pou yo pran vaksen an epi pataje eksperyans nou jan nou eseye fè li nan lòt bò pandemi sa a.

Mwen te deja travay nan radyo piblik nan Oklahoma ak Colorado, men mwen te tonbe nan renmen ak mòn yo ak plaj yo nan Kalifòni. Si ou koute byen lè mwen ap viv sou radyo a sou 89.3 KPCC, ou ka tande twa chat mwen fè yon aparans - malgre pi bon efò mwen pou kenbe yo trankil.

Medya Mansyone

Sawyer’s picaridin lotion lasts a long time, stores well in survival kits and cars, and doesn’t have the laundry-list poison control label like DEET sprays.

Sean Gold
Founder & Lead Writer

Medya Mansyone

Secure a small loop of cord to a trekking pole to create a convenient place to hang a water bladder and filter water.

Nathan Pipenberg
Ekriven

Medya Mansyone

It contains 20 percent picaridin, a powerful insect repellent that will make nights around the campfire much more enjoyable.

Liz Provencher
Freelane Writer