With abundant sun and warmer temperatures continuing this week, mosquitoes are emerging from winter hibernation, hungry and buzzing for blood, warn officials with the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.
"They can be aggressive," said Gary Goodman, the district's assistant manager.
"They've gone some time without any food, and the females are looking for a blood meal so they can start the season over again."
Once the female mosquitoes eat and get a dose of protein, they start searching for standing water to lay their eggs in, Goodman said.
A wet winter so far, and homes left vacant amid the area's rising foreclosure wave present special problems this year, Goodman said. Any site with standing water, from untended swimming pools to buckets and flowerpots, is an ideal breeding ground for mosquito larvae.
"With foreclosure rates on the rise, this could be a significant problem during the hot summer months," District Manager David Brown said in a written statement.
Last year, 1,000 abandoned swimming pools had to be treated by field technicians. The number will likely be higher this year, the district said, so mosquito control officials are asking for help from neighbors:
The priority should be draining standing water in backyards and gardens. But then reporting abandoned swimming pools or other problems in your neighborhood can do a lot to stem mosquito populations.
The public can call (800) 429-1022, or Sacramento and Yolo county residents can fill out a service request at: www.fightthebite.net.
Officials also remind those going outdoors to apply mosquito repellent, especially at dawn and dusk, to avoid being bitten by insects that carry West Nile virus and other diseases. Wearing long sleeves and pants, and repairing screens on doors and windows are good, primary defenses against bites.
Mosquitoes also can transmit canine heartworm, a big danger for dogs and particularly worrisome in the spring, Goodman said.
While DEET is the "gold standard" of mosquito repellents and lasts longest, alternatives are widely sold under various names, including picaridin and oil of lemongrass and eucalyptus, Goodman said. Those alternatives have been proven effective in trials but don't last as long as DEET, especially in areas with high concentrations of mosquitoes, he said.
Call The Bee's Hudson Sangree, (916) 321-1191.
