‘Numbers are outrageous’: Heavy rain brought relief to the Hunter, but also more mosquitos
After a good soaking of rain across the Hunter, increasing mosquitoes numbers have seemingly taken over our backyards, playgrounds and sporting grounds and even inside our homes.
Newcastle
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It’s an invasion of the small, buzzing, blood sucking kind!
After a good soaking of rain across the Hunter, mosquitoes have seemingly taken over our backyards, playgrounds and sporting grounds and even inside our homes, as we run for the repellant to hopefully deter them from that pesky itchy bite.
After the long drought period and heavy rain that’s left our lawns looking lush, it’s created perfect breeding conditions for the annoying buzzers which have increased rapidly in their numbers.
“Mosquitoes are typical boom, bust species. Their life cycle can take about a month so every month we can see extreme exponential growth of mosquito numbers,” University of Newcastle’s conservation biologist Dr Kaya Klop-Toker said.
“It seems like everywhere has been affected, at the university it is extremely bad and also heard reports from people living in Merewether where the mosquito numbers are outrageous, which is interesting because normally next to the beach, the mosquito numbers aren’t so bad.
“Swamps are good breeding grounds but mosquitoes also breed in really small containers of water, anywhere where there is a pot of water you can find them reproducing.
“In a pot plant in the bottom drainage tray there can be mosquito larvae, so very small amount of water.”
Dr. Tony Merritt, public health physician from Hunter New England Population Health said there’s definitely been an increase, with the conditions just right.
“Rain down the east coast, we’ve had some high tides and they need the right temperatures, lovely and warm,” he said.
“Anywhere where there is good breeding conditions with ground water there’ll be plenty of mosquitoes but they can also travel a number of kilometres away from their breeding site so we’re all pretty much in range.”
Not just a nuisance, mosquitoes can also carry diseases. Another reason to avoid getting bitten.
“There is a background risk of Barmah Forest infection and Ross river,” Dr. Merritt said.
“We’ve had a couple of cases this year.”
And don’t expect any reprieve from the insect invasion just yet.
The word is we’ll have to put up with it for a little bit longer, and take measures to stay out of their way.
“They are going to be with us for weeks at least, so sensible things to do to avoid being bitten are avoiding peak biting times around the dawn and dusk periods, otherwise cover up and use a good quality repellant.”
“Makes sense to look around the house and make sure there are no local breeding sites in containers or water around the garden, water in gutters that are blocked, make sure to fix screens on doors.
“Cover up, long sleeve clothing, but a good repellant and if you have to be out, to reapply repellant and apply after swimming.”
Even plants can help with the swarm, before cooler temperatures give us some reprieve.
“Have lots of plants that emit citronella oil that will repel them, native plants, lavender can help,” Dr. Klop-Toker added.
“Pot plants with water in them, you can spot the small wriggles so tip them out.
“In the winter the cooler temps you do see a drop of of numbers and in drier conditions as well.”
But they’re not all bad. Even though extremely annoying, mosquitoes do some good for our ecosystem, especially after the horrific fires across NSW.
“They’re really beneficial for other fauna and ecosystems especially after fires and drought,” Dr. Klop-Toker said
“There will be a food resource for frogs and microbats, birds and other invertebrates and supporting the ecosystem rebound after this trying time, so there might be a silver lining.”