All mosquito season -- from May to October -- technicians at the Fairfax County Health Department trap mosquitoes to track the different species and potential diseases flying through our area. So far this season, there’s no sign of the West Nile virus, but they’ve noticed an increased presence of the Asian tiger mosquito, which is known as a nuisance.
“They’re pretty aggressive,” said Sara Bennett, an Environmental Health Technician with the Fairfax County Health Department. “They’ll bite any surface of the skin that’s available.”
We’ve all been told to get rid of standing pools of water around the house because that’s where mosquito’s like to breed. What about water we can’t get rid of?
“You can actually buy environmentally safe bacteria,” Bennett said. “They’re called mosquito dunks and you put them in that water and there is a bacteria that gets released and the mosquitoes feed on it. Well, the larvae feed on it and they cant turn into mosquitoes.”
The belief that mosquitos are attracted to some people more than others is true, Bennett said. Mosquitoes are drawn to CO2 and a general skin smell humans emit.
To protect yourself from mosquitoes outdoors, the Fairfax County Health Department reminds you to wear the three Ls: light-colored, long and loose clothing. If it’s too tight, mosquitoes can actually bite you through the material.
Experts say one of the best repellants is bug spray, but be sure to spray it all over.
