Memorial Day mosquitoes? How recent rain makes perfect storm for pesky biters
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The days of wet weather, followed by dry conditions, could create a perfect storm for mosquitoes this Memorial Day weekend.
Harris County health experts said more aggressive biters are about to unleash on the area. About five days after a period of rain, new mosquitoes are born, and will stick around for a couple of weeks.
The wet weather ended Tuesday. Once the water sits still, health experts say aggressive mosquitoes are born about five days later.
"There definitely have been mosquitoes flying everywhere," said Richmond resident Christian Thompson. "Mosquitoes flying in my face and all kinds of crazy stuff."
"I feel like they need to move around," said Kristin Mata, a Pleak resident. "Use those wings and fly somewhere else. There are too many of them next to me."
If you want to avoid the biters, Consumer Reports recently released a study showing the best items to stock up on.
For bug sprays with Deet, make sure it contains less than 30%. You could also use spray with the synthetic option Picaridin - just make sure it's at least 20%.
READ MORE: Get ready! Heavy rains expected to lead to mosquito blooms in southeast Texas
There are also sprays with lemon eucalyptus oil. If you use those, make sure the oil makes up at least 2% of the product.
If you do notice a swarm of mosquitoes in your yard, you can also contact the county for a free service where an expert comes to your home.
To get assistance, you can call, (713) 440-4800 or visit the Harris County Public Health's website.
"They're trained to find the mosquito breeding sites," said Harris County Public Health Director of Mosquito and Vector Control Chris Fredregill. "They'll find these sites on residents' properties, eliminate those sites, and kind of do some one-on-one education and show people what mosquito larva are and how to take care of them."
Unfortunately, once the mosquitoes are here, they won't leave overnight. Health experts say you can expect them to hang around for a couple weeks.
