Heavy Rains in Bay County Lead to Standing Water and Mosquito Hatch

Contact: Rebecca J. Brandt or Mary McCarry, Bay County Mosquito Control, (989) 894-4555
Issued: June 23, 2017

Heavy rains totaling 7-12? fell across Bay County over the past week causing ditches, fields, woodlots, and floodplains to flood and hatch mosquito eggs on the ground. Bay County Mosquito Control crews have been working extended hours to treat flooded larval habitats before the emergence of adult mosquitoes. While many acres of habitat have been treated and many larvae controlled, it will not be possible to treat all flooded habitats within the limited 10-day window before mosquitoes emerge as adults. Over the next few weeks, Bay County Mosquito Control will be putting forth an intensive nighttime fogging effort to ensure treatment throughout the entire County, with adult mosquito populations expected to spike by July 1.

Bay County Mosquito Control strongly recommends the use of insect repellents when outdoors over the next few weeks. DEET-based repellents remain the standard to which other repellents are compared; however, the EPA also recommends repellents with the active ingredients picaridin and oil of lemon-eucalyptus. Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, or even long sleeves and pants when possible will also lessen the chance of mosquito bites.

Homeowners can prevent mosquitoes from breeding in their own yard by dumping collected rain water from buckets, bird baths, tarps, and covering rain barrels with screens.