Asian Tiger Mosquitoes Drive More Daytime Bites in Chicago Area as Hot, Damp Weather Lifts Activity
Updated
Updated · NBC Chicago · Aug 20
Asian Tiger Mosquitoes Drive More Daytime Bites in Chicago Area as Hot, Damp Weather Lifts Activity
3 articles · Updated · NBC Chicago · Aug 20
Summary
Chicago-area mosquito districts report higher-than-usual activity this summer, with invasive Asian tiger mosquitoes increasingly tied to residents' daytime bites.
Hot, damp conditions have boosted breeding, and experts say the species is especially noticeable because it bites in daylight and often takes multiple blood meals.
North Shore Mosquito Abatement District officials say Asian tiger mosquitoes are now the third-most common species in their traps across 13 municipalities in an 80-square-mile service area.
Because the mosquitoes usually emerge close to homes and breed in stagnant water or damp, shaded spots, officials are urging residents to dump standing water and use repellent; the species can also carry West Nile.
With invasive daytime mosquitoes surging and West Nile detected, could Chicago's heavy rains soon bring tropical diseases to the Midwest?
As Chicago deploys nighttime insecticide sprays against virus-carrying mosquitoes, what hidden risks might these chemical defenses pose to local residents?
Could a mere teaspoon of standing water in your backyard be fueling an unprecedented urban invasion of aggressive, disease-carrying mosquitoes?