March, April Showers, Likely to Bring More Mosquitoes, Experts Say
Apr 8, 2019, 6:35 PM | Updated: 8:56 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A very busy February, March, and now April, in terms of precipitation is good news for the ski slopes, and many crops, but it could also mean a very active mosquito season in the coming months. Crews at the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District are preparing just in case.
“It’s extremely difficult for us to predict what’s actually going to happen during the course of the active mosquito season,” Executive Director, Ary Faraji explained. “But from what we can see out there is a lot of standing water.”
Faraji says Salt Lake City is already an active area for the nasty pests.
Faraji discusses mosquito season
“The truth of the matter is, we are on the leading forefront of mosquito control on a national basis, because we have a lot of runoff that comes off of the mountains,” Faraji said.
Add to that, the large amount of puddles and stagnant ditches around the Wasatch Front, and Faraji says there is a high potential for new breeding grounds. He says workers have been responding to calls from concerned citizens, and checking out potential problem areas for growing larvae.
All that rain and snow we've seen so far this year, brings a lot of good. It can also bring more mosquitoes. On @KSL5TV at 6pm, see how abatement crews are working to get ahead of the likely problem. pic.twitter.com/K3HYTp2qsb
— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) April 8, 2019
“We’re having a lot of residents that are calling us and letting us know about standing water; either on their property, or on some public property where in some previous years, water had not formed,” Faraji explained.
Faraji says homeowners should do their part too, by reducing the amount of potential breeding areas on their own property.
An area in West SLC with standing water
“If they could reduce any standing water on their property, they would not only be doing themselves a favor, but they’ll be doing all of their neighbors, and really us a favor in the end as well,” Faraji said.
Faraji encourages homeowners who see potential problems that they can’t treat on their own property, or on public property to let them know.
As the weather gets warmer, he warns that people should avoid the peak mosquito times; dawn and dusk, and wear long sleeves, and pants, or at least use a repellent that is CDC or EPA approved.
