How to protect yourself from mosquitoes during monsoon season
With monsoonal moisture comes unwanted pests. Mosquitoes carrying deadly viruses could be lurking around your backyard.
News Channel 3’s Caitlin Thropay spoke with Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District to find out how you can beat the bite.
Three steps they recommended are to, “dump it, drain it and scrub it clean.” If you have any “kiddy” pools, tires lying around, bird baths, flower pots, plant saucers or anything that holds still water in it, you need to follow these simple steps.
“This is a really unprecedented year for West Nile Virus activity in the Coachella Valley and it’s also been a pretty productive year for mosquitoes because of the weather we have been having all year,” General Manager of Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, Jeremy Wittie told News Channel 3.
“When we have rain events like this in the summertime, that extra rain and standing water is potential for new areas for mosquitoes to breed,” Wittie said.
One type of mosquito we now have in the valley is the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which lays its eggs in and on top of containers. That’s why the “scrub it clean” step is so important. Simply use a sponge or cloth to wipe out the mosquito eggs.
“The best advice I can give the public is to take precautions and to take it seriously. No matter if you are in one of our spray areas or high-risk zones take the extra precautions to make sure you protect yourself from mosquito bites,” he said.
Palm Springs, Indio, La Quinta and the urban areas are high risk areas based on the amount of virus-positive mosquitoes found.
There are two viruses found in the valley; West Nile and Saint Louis Encephalitis.
In addition to checking for standing water, it’s important to use mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes are most active during dusk and dawn. It’s also important to check your screen doors for holes so that mosquitoes can’t get inside.
The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District has done several mosquito sprays in the valley. On Wednesday morning they sprayed in Palm Springs and they plan to spray in Mecca tomorrow morning.
