Partly cloudy skies early. Thunderstorms developing late. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..
Partly cloudy skies early. Thunderstorms developing late. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Mosquitoes are popping up like the corn is reaching high toward the sky in northeast Indiana, thanks to the deluge of rain the area has experienced this month.
Mosquitoes are popping up like the corn is reaching high toward the sky in northeast Indiana, thanks to the deluge of rain the area has experienced this month.
LAGRANGE — Early July rains helped area cornfields snap out of a slumber caused by near drought conditions. Soybean fields are looking good now too, But it seems the biggest bumper crop northeast Indiana is producing right now is mosquitoes.
LaGrange County Extension Educator Steve Enkleking said that’s, unfortunately, to be expected after a couple of good soaking rains.
“As we get more and more rain, you find standing water, and then, yeah, mosquitoes will pop,” he said.
More than just being annoying, mosquitoes in some cases become a health hazard. According to the Indiana Department of Health, state officials detected the state’s first case of West Nile virus in a human in Lake County at the end of June. Officials also said they detected traces of West Nile in a sample of mosquitoes in Steuben County.
With that in mind, officials are warning residents to do everything possible to eliminate places where mosquitoes can breed.
Indiana is home to more than 50 different varieties of mosquitoes and several species are a threat to public health because of their ability to transmit dangerous viruses.
Mosquito-borne diseases include West Nile, St. Louis Encephalitis, La Crosse fever, Eastern equine encephalitis, and Western equine encephalitis.
Eastern equine encephalitis is of particular concern in LaGrange County with its large horse population. According to the Indiana Board of Animal Health, EEE infections were detected in four horses in LaGrange, Kosciusko, and LaPorte counties in 2020. One human case of EEE occurred in a LaPorte County resident.
In 2019, EEE infection was detected in 14 horses in Elkhart and LaGrange counties. The infected horses were either not vaccinated or overdue on vaccination. One fatal human case of EEE occurred in Elkhart County in 2019, and 10 human cases occurred in southern Michigan, 6 of which were fatal.
According to a Purdue University bulletin looking at Indiana’s mosquito population, the university warns people that mosquitoes need water to develop, although the type of breeding place varies with the species of mosquito. Common breeding places are flood waters, woodland pools, slow-moving streams, ditches, marshes, and around the edges of lakes. Other mosquitoes develop in tree cavities, rain barrels, fish ponds, bird baths, old tires, tin cans, guttering, catch basins, or any container that holds water
The most effective control of mosquitoes around the home is simply to prevent them from breeding. Engleking said the first line of defense is making sure you don’t have standing water anywhere near your home.
“If you have tires or cans where you have standing water, empty them,” he said. “Check your gutters. If they’re plugged, you can have standing water. Those are perfect breeding places for mosquitoes and you need to dry them up.
Purdue advises homeowners to remove and dispose of cans, old tires, or any other containers that may hold water. Make weekly inspections of the water in flower pots and plant containers. If mosquito larvae are seen, change the water. Also, be sure to loosen soil in flowerpots regularly to ensure that water penetrates through the soil instead of forming a stagnant pool on the surface for mosquitoes to breed in. Change the water in bird baths and wading pools once or twice a week. Drain wading pools when not in use.
Stock garden and lily ponds with top-feeding minnows. Keep rain gutters unclogged and flat roofs dry. Drain and fill stagnant pools, puddles, ditches, or swampy places around the home and property.
Avoid mosquitoes if possible. Mosquitoes are most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon and evening. When outside, apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-menthane-diol to clothes and exposed skin. Cover up and wear a hat, long sleeves, and long pants when in places where mosquitoes are known to be active.
The Indiana Department of Health says most people who are infected with West Nile virus will not develop symptoms, but those who do may experience a mild form of the illness, which can include fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph glands, or a rash.
Some people will develop a more severe form of the disease affecting the nervous system, including inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, muscle paralysis, or even death. People older than 60 years and those with underlying health conditions are at higher risk of developing severe disease.
To see the latest results of the state’s mosquito surveillance, go to https://gis.in.gov/apps/ISDH/Arbo/.
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