LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) -
A mild winter and a wet spring is the perfect breeding ground for bugs and
many experts are saying this is going to be the year of the mosquito.
Last year's West Nile Virus boom was one of the worst mosquito spells we
have seen in awhile, and experts say the period of the mosquito is far from
over.
"We have already started treating and we've already been getting phone
calls for people that are seeing mosquitoes and getting bit so this is going to
be extremely early for us right now," said Belinda Warren, the owner of
Mosquito Terminators in Lufkin.
Cary Sims, a county extension agent for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
for Angelina County says mosquitoes, spiders and maybe even love bugs are
expected to be bad this year.
"We're seeing a lot more insects because we had a mild winter and we
started off with a lot of moisture in the spring. Your bug populations are
largely affected by your environment. A mild winter is a big precursor to a lot
of insect populations," Sims said.
There are over fifty different types of mosquitoes in East Texas, Sims told
KTRE news, and while some live in marshlands and wooded areas, the worst ones
live in our backyards because of standing water.
"The mosquito is the dangerous insect that we need to be concerned
about. The spider; he's beneficial. He's the fellow or she's the one that is
going to eat other insects. While spiders creep us out it is the mosquito that
is the danger to us," Sims said.
The best way to get rid of the mosquito is to drain standing water.
"Do not allow any standing water around your house. Tarps that collect
water over boats, or swimming pools, buckets just rain buckets. If you happen
to be standing around just watering, cans for your plants make sure they are
empty. Even pet bowls. I would suggest that you empty that water and refill it
each day just to keep from having that water standing cause that's what they
love the most is any type of standing water," Warren said.
Mosquitoes love to live inside water and leaf-filled bird baths, gutters
that fail to drain properly, tires, buckets, rain barrels, and uncapped steel
fence posts.
Sims says mosquitoes are the most dangerous bugs because they carry
disease. The best time to avoid outdoor activities is during dusk and
dawn when mosquitoes are more prevalant. He also says parents should make sure
kids are sprayed with bug spray.
Other ways to protect yourself from mosquitoes is to make sure to spray
outside your homes with home products or extermination companies.
"What we need to do in our own yards and landscapes is to make sure we
eliminate all standing water and if we have standing water like in a bird bath
that we at least change it weekly," Sims said.
Warren says sometimes the chemicals they use will also kill spiders.
"We have had clients tell us that they have noticed a lot of dead
spiders around their property after we sprayed, but we don't guarantee those,
but it looks like it is affective on those and it can also help with flies. It
just reduces them and it doesn't eliminate them," Warren said.
Warren says she also specializes in getting rid of fleas and ticks and the
chemicals will last about 21 days.
Copyright 2013 KTRE. All rights
reserved.
Belinda Warren, Owner of Mosquito Terminators
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