In the trifecta of heat, humidity and standing water, mosquitoes rule the day.
Maricopans are itching like mad as what are called “nuisance” mosquitoes are thriving in wet, muggy monsoon weather. The good news is the influx of mosquitoes oh-so-noticeable this week likely are not the small minority that carry the West Nile Virus.
The bad news: They seem to be everywhere. When InMaricopa.com Facebook followers were asked if they were having problems with mosquitoes, there were more than 90 comments.
Follower Merry Grace wrote, in part: “We are covered in bites out here in Santa Rosa Springs. . . . The kids come back from all of the schools with bites from just merely walking to and from buildings. I witnessed students and teachers swatting at their bodies at Saddleback today as they were standing at parent pickup getting attacked by the mosquitoes.”
“Really, really bad in Glennwilde,” wrote Mark Stewart. “The worst it’s ever been. I live near Walmart.”
From Laura Grosse: “Cobblestone is infested. Just taking the trash out, I got six bites.”
Heather Murphy, a Pinal County spokeswoman, said the public “can expect a peak in nuisance mosquitoes around monsoon time and when there are recent rains.”
The problem comes with standing water.
Murphy said these nuisance mosquitoes are more aggressive and active in the day time than those that carry West Nile virus, which are more prevalent dusk to dawn.
“A mosquito can breed in a Pepsi can, a bird path, a puddle,” Murphy said. “They don’t thrive where there’s water circulating; that’s why we recommend people run their pool pumps at night.”
Still, “Anybody outside in the evening should be applying some kind of mosquito repellent,” she said, pointing out citronella candles also can ward off the pesky insects.
Bug spray is the best preventive measure, Murphy said.
While the county fogs as a public-safety response when any of its hundreds of traps catches a mosquito infected with West Nile virus, Murphy said the county is not in the pest-control business and residents should consider contacting their HOAs if there is a problem.
Jennifer Campbell, the city of Maricopa’s community services director, agreed, adding, “We are getting a lot of cooperation from our HOAs.”
For instance, there are mosquito problems at Pacana Park. While the city puts a larvae-killing table in standing water to ward off mosquito infestations, “We do obviously back up to Glennwilde and they have standing water that could effect Pacana Park. We’re talking to the manager and they’re going to take care of it.”
Some residents said they are concerned about the height of the grass at the park attracting mosquitoes.
Campbell said the grass is high in some areas at the moment because they have been resodded and it takes a time for the roots to grab hold.
“But mosquitoes are all about the water – standing water,” she said.
***ADVERTISEMENT***Brent Billingsley, the city’s director of development services, was out this week on clean-up operations after a combination of sewage overflow and rain wrecked havoc in the Tortosa community.
“I’ve out been most of the last two days,” he said Thursday, “and I’ve been eaten alive.”
For more information on mosquito control and city recommendations click here.
For updates on West Nile virus click here for the Centers for Disease Control.
