The return of warmer temperatures also means the return of mosquitoes in San Diego.
Tony Gallardo runs a local mosquito control business “Mosquito Joe,” and says he’s already been busy with clients this year.
“Mosquitoes have already been breeding for a little over a month. We just came from a property in Rancho Santa Fe…and just the groundwater from the rains had mosquito larva in it,” he said.
Gallardo says they are gearing up for an even busier summer, in part, because of all the rain that has saturated San Diego. Moist soil and any form of standing water is a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes.
“They’ll breed in anything as small as a thimble full of water or a soda cap,” he said.
Gallardo explains that mosquito eggs can lay dormant for years. And as soon as there is enough water and the temperatures are warm enough, they’ll hatch.
According to San Diego Vector Control, there are 27 different species of mosquitoes in San Diego county. At least nine are known to carry diseases passed to humans.
The Aedes Aegypti mosquito bites during the day and can transmit diseases like Zika, Dengue and Yellow Fever.
And Gallardo says that’s the kind of mosquito they’re seeing more of locally.
“Usually people can tell that they’re getting Aedes Aegypti because they’re getting multiple bites down by their feet and ankles,” he said.
Urging people to do their part — to help prevent these pests.
