Explaining the Surge of Mosquito Borne Illnesses 2024
It's not a pleasant thought to have in your head every single time you swat at a mosquito, but each time a little bugger takes a bite out of your arm or leg, there is a possibility they just left you a not-so-nice present. Unless you are an expert in mosquito identification and keep a list of all the diseases they carry with the symptoms they can carry handy at all times, you may not even know every bite carries a risk.
It doesn't matter what state you live in, if you have been a victim of a mosquito bite, you have been exposed to an illness. Mosquitoes carry diseases from animals and mammals they bite and can infect other people and mammals when they dine on their next host.
Why Are There So Many Mosquitoes in 2024?
Bugs like mosquitoes and ticks thrive in warmer weather. Even if you are not a cold-weather type of person, you should be thankful for it. The plunging temps send the bugs back to the depths of despair where they belong.
Warmer weather brings a higher activity of bugs, flying insects and ticks. Milder winters don't fully kill the bugs off, allowing them to come back earlier, prolonging their vacation time around humans. With shorter and less frigid winters, not all bugs are being killed off and the eggs the bugs leave are still viable to hatch later.
If you look at the last 40 years or so, two-thirds of the United States has seen a rise in the average days of humidity mosquitoes and other flying insects need to thrive. That means temperatures of at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and at least a 42% humidity reading.
Where the Increase is Happening the Most
Unfortunately, the area most affected is the Northeast. What used to be a safe haven in the fall, winter and spring is getting a little bit shorter. Forget stick season, Vermont alone has added 17 days to the mosquito season.
In an opposite but no less fun situation, places like Texas are seeing a shorter mosquito season because of how unbearably hot it has been. Not only can humans not last long in that heat, but when temps hit 95 degrees Fahrenheit and above, the bugs can't survive either. We know people love hot weather and warmer days to get outside, but the bugs do, too, so pick your battle.
Are Mosquito-Borne Diseases Increasing?
With the increase in mosquito season comes the increase in mosquitoes comes the increase in mosquito-borne diseases. Take Massachusetts. Parks have had to be shut down along with other public outdoor spaces because of the increase in mosquito-borne viruses.
The main one causing concern is Eastern Equine Encephalitis, with West Nile Virus coming in at a close second. These are dangerous because these viruses do not have preventative treatments, vaccines, or other medications to battle them.
West Nile and EEE
The species of mosquito causing the most raucous is Culiseta melanura. This little bugger has been the culprit for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, especially across New England. New England sees about six cases a year, and so far, the United States has had six EEE positive cases in humans this year.
When it comes to the West Nile Virus, 38 states across the U.S. have given reports of over 370 positive infections this year. In 2023, the total number of cases reported across the country was around 2,500, which was almost double the number reported in 2022. That's a lot of bug bites.
Mosquitoes and Diseases
We know warmer weather brings all the mosquitoes to the yard, but what else is causing the increase in these bugs and the illnesses they carry? The climate has a huge impact on the uptick in mosquitoes and other flying insects.
- Longer periods of warm weather give mosquitoes more chances to reproduce
- More mosquitoes can survive in more places
- More species of mosquitoes can travel further
- Mosquitoes can reproduce earlier in the year and until later in the year
- The viruses grow faster in the mosquito when it is warmer outside
- Poorer city sanitation conditions are better for mosquitoes
To understand how diseases spread faster from mosquitoes to mammals, it's a matter of knowing how mosquitoes stay alive longer. With warmer weather conditions, longer warm weather conditions and cities having weaker sanitation standards, mosquitoes are producing at a more rapid rate, bringing generations of mosquitoes to life quicker than before. More mosquitoes mean more bites and more bugs carrying these diseases.
Stay Safe From Mosquitoes
Being active in the prevention of becoming a mosquito feast is everyone's responsibility. As these illnesses don't have vaccines, treatments or other ways to take care of them once a person is infected, it's all about prevention.
- Check your door and window frames
- Check for holes in all screens
- Check your yard for any standing water, even a few tablespoons of water
- Check your yard for overgrown greenery and tall grass
- Check your bug repellant
Make a list and check it twice to keep yourself, your family and your pets safe from mosquitoes. Itchy bug bites are never fun anyway, but when they come with illnesses, it makes it even less of a party.
People need to be more mindful of how they go about their outdoor lifestyle. Being outside is amazing for your health, as long as you take precautions. The increase of mosquitoes, their breeding season and the number of times they can reproduce in these warmer times all lead to an increased risk for humans to be infected with a potentially deadly disease.
Mosquito numbers have been creepily increasing over the last few years, with no sign of slowing down. Take precautions for yourself and your family to keep the flying insects away, and seek professional help to keep your yard safe if you need to. The mosquitoes aren't going anywhere, so we all need to do our part to protect ourselves.
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