Forget the Alligators and Floating Fire Ants: Mosquitoes Are the Real Post-Hurricane Surprise

Cleaning up from Hurricane Irma in Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra is overwhelming. With power-outages, fallen trees, flooded homes, and the complete upheaval of everyday life, we know what you’re going through. Our hearts go out to you and your families as we face this trying time together.

As we clean up and rebuild our community, we feel a responsibility to warn you about the impending arrival of an epic amount of mosquitoes. While flood waters begin to recede, small puddles and debris hold that water for even longer, creating a perfect situation for mosquito multiplicity.

Why Do Mosquitoes Get Bad After Hurricanes?

Do you remember our mosquito math? One female mosquito with a blood meal lays up to 300 eggs at once. Needing standing water to develop into adults, the perfect hot and wet conditions mean these mosquito eggs will become adults in about a week or less. By week four, in the right conditions, that single mosquito can become over a billion mosquitoes. Florida’s September summer heat creates those perfect conditions.

Eliminate Standing Water, Quickly.

The best way you can protect your family and community is to get rid of all of the standing water you can, as fast as you can. In normal conditions, we offer the Ts of mosquito control to help you find hidden sources of standing water around your yard. In flood conditions, you can only do so much. That is where the additional post-hurricane mosquito threat lies. If you have water in your yard that you cannot eliminate, mosquito treatment is your best protection.

West Nile Virus in Jacksonville

We’ve talked about how mosquitoes are the most deadly animal on Earth. That threat is here now. Two weeks before Irma hit, the first human case of West Nile Virus of the year was reported in Duval County. West Nile Virus is transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected mosquito. While 70-80% of people who get West Nile Virus never experience a symptom, about 20% will get the flu-like febrile illness, and less than 1% will have a neurological illness which can include encephalitis or meningitis. About 10% of patients with neurological disease from West Nile Virus will die.

Mosquito Squad of Greater Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra is here to help you. Our trucks are up and running and treating properties all around town. Call today for our mosquito treatment. It can eliminate 85-90% of mosquitoes on your property. The sooner you act, the better, each adult female we eliminate prevents millions of more mosquitoes in the next several weeks.