{"id":634029,"date":"2026-05-10T03:22:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T03:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/634029\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T03:22:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T03:22:33","slug":"the-drought-brings-fewer-mosquitoes-but-not-fewer-risks-wral-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/634029\/","title":{"rendered":"The drought brings fewer mosquitoes, but not fewer risks :: WRAL.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

The drought Brings Fewer Mosquitoes, but Not Fewer Risks in
\nNorth Carolina<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/p>\n

In a typical North Carolina summer, mosquitoes are a
\nconstant nuisance. But this year\u2019s dry conditions could offer some relief.
\nHowever, there might be a different kind of concern.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Cawley knows the usual rhythm of mosquito season
\nwell. As the owner of Organic Mosquito Control, he spends much of his time
\nhelping customers reclaim their yards from biting pests. His approach often
\nincludes creating a protective barrier around properties.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe like to set a perimeter to keep the mosquitoes from
\ncoming in from the neighbor\u2019s yards,\u201d Cawley explains.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/p>\n

But this year has been noticeably quieter for his business.
\nThe drought has limited mosquito breeding grounds, leading to fewer calls.<\/p>\n

\u201cTypically, by this time of year we get ten or twelve new
\ncustomers,\u201d he says. \u201cThis year, maybe three or four. If you don\u2019t have
\nmosquitoes, you\u2019re not thinking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why Dry Weather Means Fewer Mosquitoes<\/p>\n

It might seem counterintuitive, but cold winters aren\u2019t the
\nmain factor in reducing mosquito populations. The real driver is water, or the
\nlack of it. Mosquito larvae develop in standing water, so drought conditions
\ncan significantly limit their numbers.<\/p>\n

Even so, some areas of the yard can still attract them.
\nCawley notes that dense vegetation, especially English ivy, can harbor
\nmosquitoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey love English ivy,\u201d he says. \u201cSo, we spray the English
\nivy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hidden Danger of Drought<\/p>\n

While fewer mosquitoes may sound like good news, experts
\nwarn there\u2019s a downside.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Gardner points out that drought conditions can
\nactually favor certain types of mosquitoes, particularly those that carry
\ndiseases.<\/p>\n

\u201cFewer mosquitoes sounds great, right? Well, there\u2019s a
\ncatch,\u201d Gardner explains. \u201cIn drought years, the mosquitoes that carry West
\nNile and other viruses can thrive in small puddles of polluted water.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael Reiskind, an entomologist at NC State University,
\nechoes that concern. He studies mosquito populations across the state and notes
\nthat drought can create ideal conditions for mosquitoes.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we have droughts, creeks dry down to stagnant pools,
\nand we can see an increase in these mosquitoes,\u201d Reiskind says. \u201cNow these
\nmosquitoes are not bad pest mosquitoes. You may not even notice them. But, they
\ntransmit West Nile virus or St. Louis encephalitis virus, which can cause
\ndisease in people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Protecting Your Yard<\/p>\n

North Carolina is home to 62 mosquito species, and
\nresearchers are constantly studying them to better understand and reduce
\ndisease risks. One of the simplest ways homeowners can help is by eliminating
\nstanding water. You should check for clogged gutters, clean out birdbaths,
\ncheck tarps or covers that collect rainwater, and check any containers or low
\nspots where water can pool. Removing these sources can significantly cut down
\nmosquito breeding.<\/p>\n

A Temporary Break<\/p>\n

While the drought has reduced the number of nuisance
\nmosquitoes, it\u2019s not a permanent reprieve. As soon as wetter weather returns,
\nmosquito populations are expected to rebound quickly.<\/p>\n

Until then, experts advise staying cautious. Even in a dry
\nyear, the risk of mosquito-borne illness remains.<\/p>\n

So, while you might be enjoying fewer bites for now, it\u2019s
\nstill wise to keep that bug spray within reach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The drought Brings Fewer Mosquitoes, but Not Fewer Risks in North Carolina In a typical North Carolina summer,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":634030,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[15229,192,29899,79,282,134299],"class_list":["post-634029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-drought","tag-environment","tag-mosquitoes","tag-science","tag-water","tag-wral-specialists"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=634029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/634030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=634029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=634029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=634029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}