Mosquitos having a banner year

The Center for Disease Control research reports that a person can get up to 9,000 mosquito bites per minute, meaning that an unprotected person could lose half their blood supply in as little as two hours.

While those numbers are a little drastic, this year may feel like you are being sucked dry by these flying little vampires!

With all of the rains filling the lakes, ponds, and culverts, these buzzing, biting creatures are out in force. This is going to be one of those years for mosquitoes.

While a typical mosquito bite can be an irritant, there are some mosquito-transmitted diseases that you need to be aware of — West Nile Virus is still around, and last year 51 reported cases were reported in Oklahoma, there has only been one case documented so far this year.

Most people (8 out of 10) infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Most people with febrile illness due to West Nile virus recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.

WNV does result in serious symptoms in a few people. About 1 in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).

The Oklahoma Department of Health offers some great tips to help cut down numbers of these pesky creatures.

Homeowners and gardeners should take steps to protect themselves from biting mosquitoes and to reduce mosquito breeding sites in the landscape. Early morning and late evening are often convenient and cool times to garden and, unfortunately, they’re also the peak times for mosquito activity. But this doesn’t mean you have to give up your outdoor activities.

To protect yourself from mosquito bites, avoid working in the garden or sitting outside at dawn and dusk if possible.

When you are working outside, wear protective clothing, including light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants.

To keep mosquitoes from biting through thin cloth, spray clothing with approved repellents, carefully following label directions.

A breeze can deter mosquitoes, so use porch fans or take a strong fan out to the patio.

Do’s and don’ts — Gardeners should inspect homes and yards for standing water, which is where mosquitoes lay eggs and where hatched larvae mature. Here’s a checklist:

• Don’t allow water to stand for more than three days in potted plant saucers or pet bowls.

• Do change the water in birdbaths twice weekly. For convenience, locate the birdbath near an outdoor faucet and hose.

• Do cover barrels or other containers used to collect rainwater.

• Do drain stumps or tree holes that contain water or fill them with sand or mortar.

• Don’t irrigate so that run-off results. This eliminates curbside standing water in streets and saves you money.

• Do clean gutters, downspouts and roofs, removing debris and leaves that may hold standing water.

• Do empty children’s wading pools and other outside toys that may hold water.

Other steps — In ponds or other areas where standing water cannot be removed, use larvicides such as doughnut-shaped mosquito dunks. A Six-pack will cost less than $10 and are simply dropped in standing water like puddles, stock tanks or bird baths.

These products contain Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) a natural bacterium that kills mosquito larvae without putting a toxic pesticide in the water. Manufactures say the dunks will kill larvae for up to 30 days, and are safe for pets and livestock.

Reduce dense vegetation where you can. Adult mosquitoes rest on leaves and in tall grass, so keep the lawn mowed and thin out overgrown vines and the like.