Have you enjoyed a relatively mosquito-free summer? Mosquitoes rely on rain puddles to lay eggs, which have been few and far between in Austin these past couple months — until Tuesday.
Rain fell for the first time in a month Tuesday, and with it came the end of a record-breaking streak of triple-digit days. It also created the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, which love to lay their eggs in moist environments. The eggs can survive for a while in dry heat, but they hatch once they come into contact with water. Mosquitoes are likely to start reproducing this week, which means the return of bug-bitten calves.
Luckily, there are strategies for keeping the bugs at bay and away from your home.
“The recommendation is walk around your house and pour out all water sources after a rain," says William Sames, an entomologist with UT Austin. "And just eliminate those because you’re eliminating basically mosquito habitat.“
He recommends residents look specifically in gutters, containers, play sets, planters and outdoor storage units.
The City of Austin says you can protect yourself from mosquitoes by using insect repellent and wearing loose-fitting, long-sleeved clothing. And be careful when you're out at dusk and dawn — theAedesmosquito, which can carry the West Nile virus, is most active then.
