Central Coast mosquitoes: High tides and rain create perfect conditions
Are you noticing an unbelievable amount of mosquitoes flying around the Central Coast? Here’s why they are hanging around and biting everyone in sight.
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A combination of torrential rain and king tides has created a “double whammy” effect for mosquitoes across the Central Coast.
They are wreaking havoc everywhere and taking no prisoners at the moment – and there’s no relief in sight with mozzies expected to hang around until the end of March.
NSW Health Pathology mosquito researcher Cameron Webb said mosquitoes were currently “problematic” right up and down the coast.
“Typically you see the peak time in December and January and we’ve had a hot and dry summer,” he said.
“As soon as the rain arrived it provided perfect conditions for every single mosquito on the entire coastline.”
Dr Webb said the mosquitoes known to terrorise the Central Coast came out of the saltmarsh environments such as Gosford, Empire Bay and Killcare.
“Those populations are closely linked to the tide cycles,” he said.
“At the same time we had king tides, we also had hundreds of millimetres of rain causing flooding. It filled up pools, creeks, rivers and other low lying areas.
“We had a double whammy where mosquitoes are coming from both the saltwater and freshwater environments.”
It comes as Central Coast Local Health District has warned residents to take precautions against mosquito bites.
Acting Public Health Director Dr Katherine Todd said mosquitoes that breed in flooded, grassy, swampy areas and waterways can transmit Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus.
“There is no specific treatment for these viruses so the best way to avoid infection is avoid being bitten,” she said.
“To reduce mosquito breeding sites around the home, you can clean up your yard and remove all water-holding rubbish and containers that hold water. You can also prevent adult mosquitoes entering the home by using flyscreens on windows and doors, and screening any vents or openings.”
Dr Webb said there were no quick fixes with mosquito management programs not running in our region.
“Also, when you get this much rain it’s almost impossible to adequately control the population of mozzies,” he said.
“Mosquitos don’t live very long, three weeks at most, so we should see them start to disappear towards the end of March and as the nights start to get cooler.”
He said the good news was there had been a decline in cases of mosquitoes transferring diseases such as Ross River virus.
“At the moment they are much more of a nuisance than a public health risk,” he said.
“However we shouldn’t be complacent. There’s always a chance which is why we need to take all the measures.”
The biggest tip he had, along with covering up with clothing, was to apply mosquito repellent “liberally”.
“Repellents are the best form of defence at the moment,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter which brand you use, so long as you spread it evenly around exposed areas. “Use it inexactly the same way as you would use sunscreen.”