BROOKINGS Hot, humid conditions are bliss for bugs, and this summers weather has turned Brookings into a mosquito utopia.
So you guys in Brookings have been getting an awful lot of rain, and rain means mosquitoes, Amanda Bachmann, an SDSU extension urban entomology specialist based in Pierre, said. You can either have drought and the mosquitoes arent too terrible or you can actually have moisture in the summer, which creates the breeding habitat for mosquitoes.
The city public works department has scheduled four mosquito ground fogging events this month alone July 8, 14, 17 and 24. Bachmann said repeated fogging is necessary when mosquito populations quickly rebound.
They dont need a lot of time to complete their life cycle, she said. Their life cycle can range anywhere from 10 days to two or three weeks. It depends on species and temperature. Insects are cold-blooded so the warmer it is, the faster they can grow.
She said not all mosquitoes are problematic.
We have about 20 species of mosquitoes in the state, but were mainly concerned with the two who are the major vectors of West Nile Virus, Bachmann said. Aedes vexans and Culex tarsalis. Those are most active from dusk to dawn. So when you go outside during the day, you are definitely going to encounter mosquitoes this time of year. However those are not the species were most concerned about.
The South Dakota Department of Health website currently reports three human West Nile Virus cases in the state one each in Brookings, Marshall and Spink counties. The virus has been detected in mosquito pools in seven counties, including Brookings. The website attributes one death to West Nile Virus this season, but provides no details on that case.
Bachmann said ground fogging is timed to hit the West Nile Virus mosquitoes.
Thats why theyre doing the fogging after sundown, Bachmann said. Theyre targeting those vector species. Also, we have a lot of insects who are active during the day that we want around. Those chemicals can impact their populations as well, so we dont want to be just fogging every day from sunup to sundown.
She said residents can help by policing their property.
Its important that folks are removing areas of standing water, Bachmann said. You can essentially make your yard a mosquito hot spot if you have a tire swing, potted plants where you dont empty the drip tray or a bird bath. If you just leave water standing, you will make your own backyard population of mosquitoes.
She said commercial repellents work well.
DEET as an active ingredient is absolutely effective, Bachmann said. You dont need a super high concentration 15 percent or 20 percent is plenty. The thing with DEET and other repellents is make sure youre reading those labels. You need to know how to apply and how frequently to reapply.
She advised against concocting your own repellent.
There are a lot of anecdotal stories on social media of how you can mix up different essential oils and such, Bachmann said. Those things are the absolute bane of my existence. There are a lot of non-DEET alternative active ingredients that are approved. So if youre somebody who doesnt want to use DEET, there are absolutely alternatives out there. Please dont use a repellent recipe you found on social media.
She said there are nonchemical alternatives as well.
You can use things like screens on your three-season porch, Bachmann said. Some people have success with outdoor fans. In South Dakota it tends to be windy; but if youre in a more sheltered location, you can use fans to direct the airflow away from you. Mosquitoes arent the strongest fliers.
She said some people just get bit more frequently than others.
Mosquitoes find people based off of heat, carbon dioxide emissions and a little bit of how we smell, Bachmann said. Some people are just a little bit more attractive than others. Outdoor activities increase your carbon dioxide emissions. If youre running around or having a beer in the backyard alcohol will increase your carbon dioxide emissions those things make you more attractive to mosquitoes.
She stressed most mosquitoes are not the enemy.
There are mosquitoes in the ecosystem that are just fine living their lives, some dont ever bite people, Bachmann said. Theyre an important part of the ecosystem, as far as being food for other insects, birds or bats. In the aquatic ecosystem, their larvae are an important food source for minnows.
She encouraged people to learn more about mosquito control through the state health department website: https://doh.sd.gov/diseases/west-nile-virus.
Contact Jay Roe at [email protected].
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