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The whining biting bugs of summer buzzing into area |
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Saturday, 04 July 2009 |
By Wendilyn Grasseschi
Mammoth Times Staff Writer
It’s that time of year.
That high-pitched, irritating whine in your ear, close but always, always, just out of swatting range.
Those red welts and itchy bites that no medicine in this so-called technologically advanced century can salve.
That crazy dance you see the fisherman across the lake doing as he tries fervently to hit 20 of the flying pests at once, usually missing all 20.
Mosquitoes are on their way to a location close to you.
June’s unexpected rains have set July up with a possible bumper crop of the pesky critters in the local area, according to county health officials.
And with them comes not only irritation, but an increased risk of getting the mosquito-borne West Nile virus.
West Nile is a potentially deadly disease carried by mosquitoes. In its mild form, it can imitate the flu, creating body aches, fever and other flu-like symptoms. In serious cases, victims have ended up with permanent neurological damage and some have died.
Although there have been no cases of humans contacting the disease in Mono County at this time, there have already been cases of birds contracting the virus in several California counties this month, according to local health department reports. And West Nile-positive mosquitoes have been identified in standing pools of water in several California counties in the past few weeks.
Although common wisdom in the health community has been that high altitude mosquitoes are not effective vectors for the disease, that perception might have to change, said Mono and Inyo County Public Health Officer Rick Johnson.
“We used to think there were no West Nile carrying mosquitoes in the higher elevations,” he said. “But we are finding that when we actually look, we find them.”
That doesn’t mean it’s time to panic. Mono County is still an unlikely place to contract the virus, compared to lower, wetter environments. As such, the county does not have a formal surveillance or testing program in place.
But the rain left a lot of standing water in the lower elevations and the high country has yet to dry out from the winter snowfall. All of this means July is prime time to bring on the very real defenses we humans have against the tiny insects.
“What we are expecting is a very short, but very intense burst of activity over the next month,” Johnson said. “Things normally dry out here by August.”
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself.
• Cover up. Mosquitoes can’t bite as easily if you are wearing loose clothing that thwarts landing and biting. And they seem to avoid lighter colors more, so go for the whites and light colors.
• Use insect repellent. The most effective defense are DEET-based repellents, health officials agree. But if you are opposed to something that has been known to melt plastic when applied, used something with oil of eucalyptus, a brand that includes picaridin or insect repellents with a substance called IR3535. Bear in mind, you can always apply the repellent to clothing instead of skin.
• Get rid of standing water on your property. “The best way to avoid a mosquito problem is to eliminate the places they breed,” Johnson said. “Once they hatch from the larvae stage, it becomes much harder to control them.” Mono County has only one “mosquito control district,” located in Old Mammoth, near Mammoth Creek. That area is sprayed or fogged when necessary, he said. Be aware of old tires, canoes that are not turned over and other possible places for water to collect.
• Avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn. Mosquitoes are most active when it is calm and cool.
• Be on the alert for dead birds and squirrels that appear undamaged. Birds and small mammals such as squirrels can contract the West Nile virus and are often the first indicator that West Nile is in the area. If you find a dead bird or squirrel, call 1-877-WNV-BIRD and someone from the state may come and get the animal and test it, should the state determine there is a pattern of deaths in the area.
• Visit these Web sites: For California-specific information go to www.westnile.ca.gov or www.calsurv.org. For national information go to www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 13 July 2009 )
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