From The Oakland Press
June 8, 2018
Officials aren’t sure whether this summer will be worse for biting insects such as mosquitos and ticks. It depends whether where you live has high humidity or standing water available.
But experts agree that whether there is an infestation or not, Oakland County residents need to take precautions to prevent the diseases insects may carry.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that diseases spread by mosquitoes, ticks and fleas tripled in the U.S. from 2004 to 2016.
The report said Lyme disease from ticks is an increasing concern for Michigan, though no cases have been reported in Oakland County the past two years, according to the Oakland County Health Department. West Nile virus from mosquitoes is also on the rise, with five county cases reported in 2017.
Michigan State University entomologist Howard Russell said it’s difficult to say definitively if it will be a bad summer for mosquitos.
“Future generations of mosquitos depend on how much standing water there is,” he said about the necessary habitat needed for mosquitoes to lay eggs.