How To Take The Bite Out Of Mosquito Season
As overnight temperatures rise, Culex mosquitoes begin to hatch. They can carry the West Nile virus, which infected more than 420 people in California last year, killing 19 of them.
Another kind of mosquito is being tested for dengue virus after two people in Los Angeles County contracted the virus last fall, the first locally acquired cases in California. Both people survived.
There’s no local dengue now, but experts say the virus is likely to crop up again and the pesticides used to kill mosquitoes that can spread it have lost some of their bite.
That’s because overuse of over-the counter herbicides can cause the insects to become resistant to the chemicals, said Tristan Hallam, director of scientific programs with the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.
Some weed killers contain active ingredients similar to pest control sprays, he said.
“Because it’s being used in two separate scenarios on a consistent basis, there are more opportunities for these adult mosquitoes to have that resistance build up within these populations,” Hallam said.
How To Take The Bite Out Of Mosquito Season
Hallum tests local mosquitoes and rotates which pesticides vector control uses when too many show resistance.
The best defense is to prevent mosquito bites, and keep the insects from getting in your home or breeding nearby.
Continue reading the article written by Jackie Fortiér here.
February 11, 2025
Jackie Fortier
I cover health in Southern California and the health care industry in the Los Angeles area.
I started in this newsroom just before the pandemic shut most everything down and it has been an intense year as I've worked to make what's going on as easy to understand as I can. For example, here's the mission we set for covering the vaccine rollout:
We will help Angelenos get accurate up-to-date information about the vaccine, navigate the hurdles to getting vaccinated and share our experiences as we try to make it to the other side of this pandemic.
I previously worked in public radio in Oklahoma and Colorado, but I’ve fallen in love with the mountains and beaches of California. If you listen closely when I’m live on the radio on 89.3 KPCC, you may hear my three cats make an appearance — despite my best efforts to keep them quiet.
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