Jun 24, 2008 4:47 pm US/Central
Heavy Rains Bring Pesky Mosquitoes
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Grab your repellant, long sleeves and plan some indoor activities if you want to avoid getting mosquito bites.
CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports that recent heavy rains in the Chicago area have brought the pests out in full force.
The mosquitoes have been so bad lately that 9-year-old Elizabeth Gonzales of Northfield says she's afraid to play in her backyard.
"There's a lot more, and they're bigger," she said.
"I do work at a childcare center and I have noticed children who do live in the area have a couple bites on their neck or on their arms," said Cora Boucher.
North Shore Mosquito Abatement District officials say there many more mosquitoes this year, compared to last year, because of heavy rains earlier this month.
"They are pretty vicious during the daytime and that's where the complaints are coming from right now," said mosquito district official Robert Berry. "It takes 10 days or so for them to hatch out. Now they're adults and they're out looking for a blood meal."
Recent flooding and elevated creeks and ponds have given mosquitoes more places to lay their eggs. Floodwater mosquitoes are more aggressive; they do like to bite. But they are not the kinds that carry the West Nile virus.
Still, they are pesky. That's why abatement experts have been busy filling sewers with larvicide, which destroys the eggs before they hatch.
"We treat roughly 65,000 of these throughout the North Shore," said David Zazra.
Anyone planning outdoor activities is also advised to use repellant, but studies show most people are reluctant to do so.
"I don't like the sticky feeling or just having it on me," Boucher said.
And sometimes, that doesn't even work. Experts say one in every 10 people has a body chemistry that simply attracts mosquitoes.
"Just today, we had two of our field operatives - one guy went in and was bitten up pretty bad even wearing repellant - and the other gentleman, not a spot on him," Zazra said.
The types of mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus are called Culex mosquitoes. They come out at dusk, instead of during the day, and are more prevalent in drier weather. So far, the number of Culex mosquitoes is down this summer.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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