The influx of mosquitoes can be traced to the almost daily rain showers Orange County has received in the last month. Patrick Beebe the director of the Mosquito Control District traces the increase in mosquitoes to the week before the Labor Day weekend.
High tides and the heavy rains at that time created standing pools of water which led to the hatching of flood water mosquitoes. The Mosquito Control District began accelerating treatments immediately after the holiday.
The specific species of mosquitoes breeding are the marsh land mosquitoes and the rice field mosquitoes. Beebe assured that these species do not carry the dangerous diseases that many mosquitoes do, but they are very aggressive in their attacks. Beebe said, “They will bite in the evening and during the day as well.”
Beebe has his crews doing more spraying, but the weather is affecting the frequency of that as well. The Mosquito Control District is flying its plane to spray for the mosquitoes when the weather permits. Several flights have been cancelled and other flights as well as ground sprayings have been moved to work around the weather.
The Mosquito Control District is using all seven of its trucks to spray for mosquitoes. Beebe reminded that his drivers are instructed to turn off their sprayers if they see people outside, so he asked that if you are outside and see or hear a mosquito control truck please go inside until the truck passes, so the spraying can be done.
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