HOUSTON — After heavy rains, we know what comes next — mosquitoes. But what can we expect and how can we stop them?
Let’s connect the dots.
Entomologists at Texas A&M say there are three major categories of bloodsuckers after rainfall.
The first wave is floodwater mosquitoes. When heavy rain leaves puddles in ditches and lawns, these mosquitoes quickly emerge. They actually come from eggs that sit around waiting for the rain, sometimes for years.
They are typically larger and unfortunately more aggressive. These are the ones that attack you from dusk to dawn.
The second wave is container mosquitoes. As you can guess they come from containers holding standing water. While they can bite anytime they prefer nighttime when large groups gather.
The next wave is culex mosquitoes. They like stagnant water with lots of bacteria. These suckers tend to be disease carriers.
So how can you stop them?
The experts at A&M said getting rid of standing water is a big one, and using larvicide dunks in standing water you can’t drain.
Lawn or barrier sprays only last for a limited time. And plants that repel mosquitoes — like citronella and lavender — only protect a limited area.
Spray repellents and covering exposed skin is some of the most effective advice.
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