Worcester Mosquitoes Suffer Through Drought: Why Am I Still Swatting?

It is widely known that mosquitoes thrive in moist and humid conditions and suffer during droughts. Adult mosquitoes dehydrate and have no water source to provide nutrition and a safe home for their offspring to grow and flourish. Why in the world during this summer’s current drought are Worcester mosquitoes seemingly still out in full force?

Inconsistent Irrigation

A nice steady rain will evenly water your lawn and garden. But in a drought, you are dealing with hoses, sprinklers and if you’re lucky an irrigation system. While it is easy enough to go dump containers after a heavy rain, you may not think about the puddle in your vegetable garden. You may end up with an oversaturated shady area where you accidently left the sprinkler on for too long. Irrigation is a perfect source of water for mosquitoes to thrive and multiply.

Culex Pipiens

Complicating matters is the abundance of Culex pipiens mosquitoes in Worcester. These are the same mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile Virus. They thrive in drought conditions as they love small containers of standing water that can be created in backyards from irrigation. These adaptive species are also attracted to the organic material along dried up creek and riverbeds for laying eggs. Their eggs can survive for a couple of years, waiting for enough water to hatch and develop into adult mosquitoes.

While Mosquito Squad of Worcester works hard every day to help our customers enjoy a spontaneous mosquito-free outdoor lifestyle, we can’t emphasize the importance of eliminating standing water from your property enough. Review the 5 Ts of mosquito control to make sure you’re not missing any hidden water sources on your property. Be sure to call Mosquito Squad of Worcester today, 508-659-9302 our traditional barrier treatment will eliminate up to 90% of the mosquitoes on your property for up to 3 weeks.

Sources: Boston Globe