On September 10th, 2017, Hurricane Irma swept across Southwest Florida, bringing not only heavy winds, but widespread flooding.

Thankfully, adult mosquitoes don’t generally survive the high winds that hurricanes bring, so during the hot, stagnant days of no power that followed this massive storm, at least we weren’t covered with mosquitoes.

Unfortunately, the flooding that’s occurred in Fort Myers, Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres caused by Hurricane Irma has created the perfect conditions for a major mosquito outbreak throughout Southwest Florida.

Floodwater mosquitoes (Aedes vexans and other species) typically appear approximately two weeks after heavy rains and flooding. They lay their eggs in areas with wet soil and once that soil dries out, their eggs can remain dormant for as long as a year just waiting for the water to return so they can finally hatch.

Right now the ground is saturated and there is standing water just about everywhere you look, so we can expect very large populations of floodwater mosquitoes to begin hatching soon. There are estimates of the number of mosquito eggs in a floodwater habitat between 0.7 and 1.3 million eggs per acre. Yes – per acre. If only a small percentage of those eggs hatched and survived to the adult stage, the number of adult mosquitoes flying around looking for blood at one time is almost incomprehensible.

Lee County Mosquito Control will likely take steps to reduce the mosquito populations in our area now that the hurricane has passed, but you can also help control mosquitoes in and around your home and prevent mosquito bites.

As a locally-owned pest control company serving Fort Myers and Naples for nearly 40 years, here are a few tips for Mosquito Control Around Your Home:

• Sign up for Larue’s Monthly Mosquito Abatement Services
• Install a Mosquito Misting System on your property
• Check out Larue’s Mosquito Control Checklist for Your Home
• Download our Free eBook: Southwest Florida Mosquitoes – 7 Things you NEED to Know

More Tips for Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Mosquito Bites:

Always remember The 5 D’s of Defense…

• DUSK & DAWN – Avoid outdoor activity during those hours.
• DRESS – Wear clothing that protects your skin when you can.
• DEET – Use mosquito repellents that contain DEET.
• DRAIN – Don’t allow water to collect on your property.

If you are interested in learning more about how we can help protect your family over the last couple months of mosquito (and hurricane) season, please contact us online for a free quote or call us at (800) 314-8813.

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