Dry hot conditions in Massachusetts this summer may have you longing for autumn to arrive. While a hot, dry spell can have some negatives effects, a major positive is a reduction in mosquito populations. This fact may leave you wondering why in the world you are still suffering the constant annoyance of itchy mosquito bites.
According to the Boston Globe, on the whole, we see fewer mosquitoes than what is normal for this time of year in Central Massachusetts. Many mosquito breeds have suffered from the hot, dry summer. If you’re still suffering a large mosquito population at your home, there are a couple of key factors that could be at play:
Culex Pipiens
Sounds like the name of a professional basketball player, but it is a specific breed of mosquitoes that thrives in the hot drought environment and transmits West Nile Virus. It turns out the female Culex pipiens mosquito is attracted by organic material in dried riverbeds as a place to lay their eggs. The eggs can remain viable for several years and will hatch when rain accumulates, or river water rises.
Irrigation Carelessness
With well-adapted mosquito species like the Culex pipiens hanging around, a dry summer is a perfect recipe for mosquitoes to reproduce. With such dry weather, more of us are irrigating our lawns and gardens. This leaves us open to accidental over-saturation and puddling that can leave plenty of water for new mosquito eggs, larva and pupa to grow into adulthood. These breeds prefer stagnant backyard water, and it doesn’t take more than a bottle cap full for several hundred new mosquitoes to grow.
How to Make the Most of a Dry Massachusetts Summer
If you’re suffering from mosquitoes in Wilmington Mass, despite the dry summer we have a few ideas. First off, make sure you are not leaving any standing water on your property. This can be a puddle in your vegetable garden, a sand bucket or a low spot in the yard. The 7 Ts of mosquito control can help you identify trouble spots. If you’re doing all you can do, make sure you talk to your neighbors. Mosquitoes don’t have a large flying radius, but a neighbor with standing water can create a mosquito nightmare for the whole neighborhood. A friendly conversation about where mosquitoes come from could be the much-needed solution.
Give yourself peace of mind with mosquito barrier protection in Central Mass
Mosquito control enthusiast
Whether it is a mosquito haven humid and hot summer or a dry Culex pipiens summer, a reputable mosquito control company can lower the mosquito population at your Wilmington home by up to 90%.
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