NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Warm weather, high humidity, and an abundance of rain have created a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The pesky biting insects are everywhere and those containing infectious West Nile disease are turning up in more and more cities and towns across Connecticut.
August to September is peak mosquito season and peak risk for West Nile virus season.
“Some of them are just annoying pests,” said Philip Armstrong, Director of the Mosquito Monitoring Program, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven. “We’ve been collecting double what we normally would see at this time of year.”
Out of 108 traps, researchers have identified 53 species of mosquito in Connecticut, the ones on the state’s radar for carrying West Nile, have now been found in 9 communities in the state: Branford, East Haddam, East Haven, Fairfield, New Canaan, South Windsor, Stamford, Wallingford, Wethersfield.
The trap in Wethersfield is set in a low-lying field off Cider Brook Drive where birds rest in trees and mosquitoes feast.
Some species feed mostly on birds.
Others are a health risk.
Armstrong said, “Other species feed opportunistically on birds and people, and those are the species we’re mostly concerned about.
“With more mosquitoes available, there is the chance for increased risk for West Nile Virus transmission going forward.”
East Shore District Health Department warned East Haven residents to dump stagnant water after West Nile was detected in this area around Kenneth Street. Officials issued the same warning for the area around Hosley Avenue in Branford.
Angela Caesar is not taking any chances Tuesday. She decided to leave Wethersfield Cove after encountering too many mosquitoes.
“The only repellant I was using was the hand sanitizer because it had a little alcohol in there. But that’s not working,” Caesar said.
To date, there have not been any reported human cases of West Nile in Connecticut this year, which can show up as flu-like symptoms. There were a handful of human cases in 2022.
Mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. You are encouraged to use repellant, especially at those times.
Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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