MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Warm weather has caused many insects, including mosquitoes, to pop out early. However, that doesn’t mean we are in for a big mosquito season.
Dr. Daniel Sprenger with Mosquito Vector Control said, “What will determine whether we have lots of mosquitoes will be the frequency and the intensity of the rainfall in the spring.”
During mild winter days, a few adult mosquitoes may be spotted. However, mosquito eggs don’t typically hatch until the middle of March. Another big misconception is that the historic flood of 2011 will also lead to a big mosquito population this year.
“The flooding worked against mosquitoes because the water covered up the places where they usually lay their eggs along waterways,” said Sprenger. “Fish had access to the mosquitoes and the populations in the end weren't very high.”
Sprenger said there isn’t a very large egg supply along the Mississippi, Loosahatchie, and Wolf Rivers. There may also be good news when it comes to West Nile after the unusually high number of 14 cases last year.
Dr. Sprenger said, “We expect the West Nile some time in the middle of May. Last year we had quite an intense outbreak we think due to birds. This year, the birds have more immunity. The disease may not spread as bad or maybe not at all.”
Before spring arrives and mosquitoes do begin to hatch, you should remove any standing water in gutters or potted plants around the outside of your home. They could become a breeding area for mosquitoes.
