Have you been bitten by a mosquito lately or do you see them sticking around even longer in your neighborhood? It’s a trend that’s been slowly rising over the past 10 years in the Bay Area.
Check out the data below and you’ll see in the 1980s we averaged 182 days per year and over the past 10 years that’s increased to 217 days.
A total of 35 more days in the Bay Area dealing with mosquitoes.
What’s behind this trend? It’s all about warming temperatures, especially over the past 10 years as mosquitoes thrive in temperatures at 80 degrees or higher.
Basically, the time frame we deal with mosquitoes is getting longer and stretching into fall and early spring.
This has led to a boost in West Nile Virus, Zika and Lyme Disease.
Keep your eyes out as most recently, August 8, the invasive aedes mosquito has been spotted in Contra Costa County and according to local vector control it can transmit dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, and other viruses.
Make sure to check for any standing water outside your home and use spray repellant to help. However, if you notice a problem at your house contact your local vector control.
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The good news, new research shows we can all make a difference and avoid these consequences from getting worse with substantial cuts in emissions and greenhouse gases. This is something we can all participate in by lowering our carbon footprint.
You can find more on all of our climate stories in this link.
