Warm weather spurs increase in mosquito reports

From KRCR News
February 6, 2018

The Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control has noticed an increase in calls complaining about mosquitoes for 2018.

District Manager Peter Bonkrude said so far they’ve received around 20 calls, where normally it’s zero for the winter months.

Bonkrude added there is a winter species of mosquitoes out right now but during a typical wet year they don’t get complaints because people are not outside.

That changes during warm and dry evenings like the past week. While a nuisance, Bonkrude said Shasta County has less activity compared to other neighboring counties.

“The anopheles mosquito is typically associated with rice production. So counties that are doing rice production are typically dealing with that mosquito in a more heavy way. We still have anopheles mosquitoes just not in the numbers as they do to the south of us,” said Bonkrude.

The winter species of mosquitoes are not the kind that spread disease but Bonkrude suggested people still take precautions like wearing bug repellent when going outside around dusk or dawn.

He said if the warm and dry weather continues they may start to see the more dangerous species earlier this year. That could make West Nile season start sooner and last longer and allow for an increase number of cases in humans.

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