Complaints about mosquitoes are on the rise in Southern California, especially in the San Fernando Valley.
"They love backyard sources such as vases and buckets, plant saucers, wheelbarrows, left out tires," said vector control specialist Ryan Rothenwander.
More and more people are calling vector control saying they are being bitten by aggressive mosquitoes.
Pools that are not being maintained are one of the biggest breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which is why vector control workers are constantly treating pools.
In North Hills, they were out treating a pool to try to prevent larvae from developing. Because once that starts happening, it can be just a couple of weeks before mosquitoes are swarming an area and biting people.
"A week after the eggs are laid," said Ryan Rothenwander, a vector control specialist. "That fast. You're looking at a three-week period."
Mosquito calls have doubled throughout Southern California. Workers blame the Aedes mosquito — a more aggressive type whose population began to increase in SoCal about four years ago. It's the Aedes mosquito that spreads diseases like Zika, dengue, and yellow fever.
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"Before we would have mosquitoes that would bite mostly evening time. These bite early morning and throughout the day," vector ecologist Steven Vetrone said.
Workers want to get the message out, especially for people who love plants and gardens. Some plants, such as the bromeliad, tend to create pockets of standing water which in turn attract mosquitoes. Inspections like the ones vector specialists are doing now used to take place mostly during the warmer months. But now they're nearly year round.
"You have a little cactus here and you like to put it in another one just to make it look prettier. What they don't know is you don't have any drainage holes," vector control specialist Edna Chavez said.
"We're losing our off season. Mosquitoes are becoming more abundant throughout the year."
The total number of samples positive for the virus within the district's service area has been 13 this year, according to a statement. The latest positive samples were collected from six new areas: Winnetka, West Hills, Canoga Park, Granada Hills, La Mirada and Cerritos.
The district urged residents to take the following steps to reduce the threat:
- Eliminate standing water in clogged rain gutters, rain barrels, discarded tires, buckets, watering troughs or anything that holds water for more than a week;
- Ensure that swimming pools, spas, and ponds are properly maintained;
- Change the water in pet dishes, birdbaths and other small containers weekly;
- Request mosquitofish from your local vector control district for placement in ornamental ponds;
- Wear EPA-recommended insect repellent when outdoors where mosquitoes may be present;
- Report neglected (green) swimming pools in your neighborhood to your vector control district.
West Nile virus is transmitted to people and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no cure for WNV. One in five persons infected with the virus will exhibit symptoms, which can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, or a skin rash. These symptoms can last for several days to months. One in 150 people infected with the virus will require hospitalization. Severe symptoms include high fever, muscle weakness, neck stiffness, coma, paralysis, and possibly death.
City News Service helped contribute to this article.
