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Matt Hilton, franchise owner of the Mosquito Joe pest control company of North Houston, is a busy man. Judging from all the business he’s getting lately, Hilton predicts mosquito activity this summer will be “more explosive” than normal in the Houston area.
“If I were to anecdotally gauge how many calls we’re getting this year compared to the same time last year, it’s definitely triple,” Hilton said.
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He’s not wrong about the surge in mosquitoes. Harris County health officials who monitor and try to control mosquito populations caught more mosquitoes in April compared to previous years.
Here’s what experts have to say about the rising pest population and what you can do about it:
Why are there so many mosquitoes in Houston?
Only female mosquitoes consume blood. Harris County health officials track their population by setting traps every week in 268 operational areas across the county.
In April, the county captured 72,742 female mosquitoes. That’s twice as many as the 34,389 female mosquitoes caught in April 2023. The county collected 33,026 mosquitoes in April 2022.
Warmer temperatures, heavy rainfall and an increase in the number of mosquito traps this year account for the spike in mosquitoes, said Max Vigilant, director of the Mosquito and Vector Control division with Harris County.
On average, the county caught 111 mosquitoes per trap in April – a higher rate than in April 2023 and April 2022.
How mosquitoes thrive in standing water
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, and their breeding grounds can be as small as a bottle cap, Vigilant says.
Adult female mosquitoes can lay between 50 and 200 eggs at a time. It only takes about 10 days for a mosquito to grow from an egg to an adult.
During dry weather, floodplain mosquitoes lay eggs in areas that are prone to flooding, Hilton said. After heavy rains in Texas, the eggs hatch and mosquitos proliferate.
Best practices to repel mosquitoes in your yard
Galveston County recommends removing the following items that could hold water:
- Empty containers
- Tires
- Pots
- Wheelbarrows
The county also recommends repairing any outdoor faucets and leaky sprinklers. You should also consistently change the water in bird baths and pet dishes.
When called to deal with a bug problem, Mosquito Joe’s technicians walk through a property, looking for breeding sites. They mostly focus on preventing eggs from hatching, Hilton said.
Technicians look for low-lying areas that could collect water such as holes made by dogs, buckets, bird baths and drip-catch pans underneath flower pots. Some mosquito species also like to breed in tree hollows.
Other resting places for mosquitos include overgrown grass, dead leaves, pine needles and gutters.
You can purchase mosquito dunks that kill larvae in standing water. Or, you can use dish soap or mineral oil to cover the surface area of the water to prevent larvae from breathing. Heavy-duty detergent can also do the trick.
It’s important to remember that not all mosquitoes are bad, Hilton says. Typically, experts try to find and control three species (aedes mosquitoes, culex mosquitoes and anopheles mosquito genomes) that feed off humans. Other mosquitoes prefer animals, nectar, or fruits.
“We are specifically targeting the ones that are spreading diseases through humans and protected livestock,” Hilton said. “We’re not here trying to eliminate every single bug.”
How to stop a mosquito bite from itching
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing the irritated skin with soap and water, applying an ice pack for swelling and itching, and using a baking soda and water mixture to reduce itchiness. You can also buy an anti-itch or antihistamine cream to help control itching.
The CDC also has various recommendations for preventing mosquito bites.
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