California residents may have noticed pesky ankle-biters running rampant in their neighborhoods this winter, a season that was once blissfully free of the little bloodsuckers. <\/p>\n
The unusual warm and wet conditions are being blamed for a sharp increase in mosquito activity across California as far north as Sacramento and especially in Southern California. The unusually early start to the mosquito season raises concerns about a brutal bug summer, and the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus, dengue fever, and St. Louis Encephalitis Virus.<\/p>\n
Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District officials said they’re seeing about five times as many mosquitoes as they normally do this time of year. <\/p>\n
OC Vector Spokesperson Brian Bannon told Patch that residents can expect a surge in mosquito activity in areas that have recently experienced heavy rains followed by sudden heat. <\/p>\n
“Unfortunately, what it could be setting us up for is a really bad summer,” Bannon said. “Typically, this is what we see when they have had a chance to get a head start and breed and increase their numbers during the off season.” <\/p>\n
Officials reported the increased presence of both regular mosquitoes and “ankle biters,” otherwise known as invasive Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes known for targeting human legs and ankles. The Aedes is know for spreading viruses worldwide, including Zika, yellow fever, and dengue fever. <\/p>\n
RELATED: LA Sees ‘Unprecedented’ Spread Of Dengue Fever<\/a><\/p>\n Residents can request Vector Control staff to come and do a free house canvassing to see what can be done to minimize mosquitoes on the property. <\/p>\n Such services are offered in Orange, Riverside<\/a>, San Diego<\/a> and Los Angeles<\/a> counties. Bannon urged all residents to take advantage of these resources before peak mosquito season hits in the summer. <\/p>\n Beyond that, Bannon said residents can get ahead of mosquito season by walking their properties weekly in search of standing water. <\/p>\n “It’s important that people are taking a good look around their homes \u2014 inside and out, because the ankle biters can actually breed inside of your home,” he said. “But the thing is with the ankle biters, they only need a bottle cap full of water to breed \u2014 it could be a really small source.” <\/p>\n Bannon noted that anything from flower pot saucers to yard drains can serve as fruitful breeding grounds for mosquitoes. <\/p>\n County vector control officials have a myriad of approaches to curbing the explosion of mosquito populations from breeding of mosquito fish in Sacramento to a pilot program in Los Angeles and Orange counties to release sterilized non-biting males to mate with females and supress repoduction rates.<\/p>\n The surge in mosquitoes comes as St. Louis encephalitis virus was detected in the Coachella Valley where a North Shore mosquito sample tested positive for St. Louis encephalitis virus, officials said Tuesday. <\/p>\n St. Louis encephalitis virus is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people infected with the virus do not have symptoms, but those who do become ill may experience fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and tiredness. <\/p>\n Some people may develop neuroinvasive disease, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord). In rare cases, long-term disability or death can occur, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/a> <\/p>\n