2024 Dallas Record Rainfall: Increase in Mosquitos After Rain
2024: A Wet Year for Dallas
It's been a wet spring in Dallas so far. In fact, 2024 has been the 6th wettest year on record for the Texas city, which has already seen 27.42 inches of rain since the beginning of the year, and the rain is continuing to fall. By contrast, in 2023 Dallas only received 29.31 inches of rain total - a number that 2024 will quickly surpass as rain continues to fall throughout the latter months of the year.
To put things in perspective, the rainfall in 2024 has already surpassed the total precipitation of several recent years, including 2015 (which only saw 21.32 inches) and 2011 (with 25.88 inches). It's undoubtedly a wet year, and as the rainfall accumulation continues to climb past the average, many facets of everyday life in Dallas will be affected.
Of course, a rainy year isn't all bad, particularly if you're a gardener or farmer or are enjoying the cooler temperatures in the year so far, but for many, the additional rain is more of a nuisance than a benefit. With over 10 inches of rain since the beginning of May, roads are flooding, planes are being grounded for storm conditions and outdoor, springtime plans are getting canceled as the weather conditions continue to be unfavorable. But even if you've avoided the flooding and other annoyances caused by the rain, there's one consequence of the weather you can't escape: mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes and Heavy Rain
We all know that mosquitoes like hot, humid days. When you're enjoying your time outdoors, they show up uninvited and cause problems and general irritation. Normally, mosquito populations might seem inconsequential, but with high levels of rainfall recorded across Dallas and temperatures rising steadily for the summer, the mosquitoes are coming, and soon.
It's not just superstition - heavy rain brings higher populations of mosquitoes into the area. Floodwater mosquitoes are one such type of mosquito that sees their population drastically increase following rainfall as they easily find locations to lay their eggs due to puddles of standing water in low spots in fields and on lawns. In addition, floodwater mosquitoes are larger and more aggressive than regular mosquitoes, making them that much more of a nuisance.
After floodwater mosquitoes come container mosquitoes, who lay their eggs in anything that holds water. If there's a pool of standing water outside somewhere, container mosquitoes will lay their eggs in it. Following container mosquitoes are Culex mosquitoes, which lay their eggs in pools of water with high bacteria content. You'll often see these last as pools of standing water accumulate bacteria over days and weeks.
But it's not just floodwater mosquitoes, container mosquitoes and culex mosquitoes. More rain means more mosquitoes in general as the bugs have more places to lay their eggs. Whether it's a puddle in your yard, a bird bath, water collected in your storm drains or a bucket you've left outside, mosquitoes are persistent and will lay their eggs anywhere they can. And with record rainfall and rising temperatures, there are more and more places for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
Mosquito-Borne Illnesses
You might be thinking: why does it matter, though? A few extra mosquitoes over the summer isn't that big of a change, or maybe you don't spend enough time outdoors to let the increase really affect you. Unfortunately, heavy rainfall doesn't just mean more mosquitoes - it means more mosquito-borne illnesses as well.
This isn't just due to the presence of more mosquitoes than usual. When rainfall is heavier, mosquitoes are more prone to traveling to new locations as they have more locations to lay their eggs. This can lead to carrier mosquitoes that are typically confined to one region being able to move to another. Mosquito-borne diseases can establish their populations in wider regions and different parts of the world as a result as unfamiliar, invasive breeds make their way towards denser populations.
Of course, heavier rainfall and higher mosquito populations do lead to higher rates of transmission in general. As pools of freshwater become more available to mosquitoes, disease-carrying mosquitoes can repopulate and transmit these viruses to their offspring, which in turn spread them to humans. This availability of breeding locations helps mosquito-borne illnesses thrive when they would otherwise dissipate as host mosquitoes die off.
Keeping Yourself Safe
So, with record numbers of mosquitoes incoming and the potential for them to be carrying dangerous diseases, what can you do about it? For a start, you can identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites as frequently as possible. This can be as simple as emptying any pools of standing water that have accumulated after heavy rainfall, but it can also be as complicated as needing to fill in low spots in your yard where water accumulates. However, if you live near an area with natural ponds or standing water sites that are off your property, you might not be able to accomplish this.
You might consider using bug spray, but many kinds of artificial bug spray you'll find at stores are only somewhat effective or can be harmful to the environment and other animals. Some natural repellants exist, such as lavender and other essential oils, but applying them widely across your yard or for outdoor outings can prove difficult. Instead, let MosquitoNix® handle the problem for you.
At MosquitoNix®, we offer natural solutions to fight mosquito populations and keep them away from you and your family. With permanent misting installments that can keep mosquitoes off your property for good, portable mosquito-repellant devices that are great for camping and other outdoor adventures and temporary mosquito fogging services that can keep the pests away from important events, we have your back when it comes to keeping the blood-sucking insects away. Give us a call today to discuss solutions that work for you before the mosquitoes begin to hatch.
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