Despite the very cold weather earlier this year, don’t expect relief from mosquitoes in the D.C. area.
University of Maryland professor emeritus and entomologist Mike Raupp, known as the Bug Guy, said the cold and snow didn’t make a difference.
“No, the answer is absolutely 100% no,” Raupp said.
Raupp said mosquitoes are already showing up — and activity will only build in the coming weeks.
“People are smacking down the northern house mosquito,” he said.
He added that the region will see more mosquitoes as summer approaches.
“We’re really going to amp this up as we move toward Memorial Day with our mosquitoes,” he said.
Raupp said recent rain and warmer temperatures will help even more hatch, including aggressive species like the Asian tiger mosquito.
West Nile remains the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States, and Raupp said the risk could remain typical or even trend higher this season.
He said your own yard can play a big role in mosquito numbers if you’re not careful.
“That pail you have out behind the tool shed, a plugged gutter, a bird bath, these are going to be places where those mosquitoes breed. So go out and dump those things right now,” he said.
Mosquitoes are not the only concern this season.
Raupp said ticks might actually be worse this year because snow acted like an insulating blanket during the winter, helping more survive.
Blacklegged ticks can spread Lyme disease, while lone star ticks are linked to a meat allergy known as alpha-gal.
Spotted lanternflies are also back. Raupp said the cold was not enough to reduce their numbers, and nymphs are already emerging across the region. While they are mostly a nuisance, they can damage plants and trees.
To protect yourself from ticks and mosquitoes, Raupp said wear light-colored clothing that covers your skin and use insect repellent.
He also suggested staying in the middle of trails to avoid ticks, putting clothes in the dryer after being outdoors and doing a full body check to remove ticks quickly.
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