A rainy spring means more mosquitoes will be ruining camping trips and backyard barbecues this summer.

Monday, June 11, 2001

A rainy spring means more mosquitoes will be ruining camping trips and backyard barbecues this summer.

"From preliminary reports there will be a substantial amount of mosquitoes," Lonnie Otterson, a University of Minnesota Extension educator, said.

Most of the 51 species of mosquitoes lay eggs in damp ground, such as puddles or dew. The warmer the water, the faster mosquito eggs will hatch. Hatching can take as little as five to seven days.

"Generally for all kind of insects, warm weather will accelerate their growth," Otterson said.

The Austin City Council recently approved spending up to $28,000 for the city to spray for mosquitoes four times throughout the summer. Spraying will begin in mid-June, city Public Works Director Jon Erichson said. The insecticide kills only adult mosquitoes.

"The amount killed is dependent on the weather," Erichson said.

People also can use insecticides in their own yards, but are only effective if done more than once during the summer, Otterson said. Mosquitoes are able to travel up to 10 miles and yard insecticides only kill mosquitoes that grow in that yard. A spray like Cutter Bug Free Backyard repels mosquitoes for up to four weeks. A 26-ounce bottle covers 4,000 feet and costs about $8.

Preventing mosquitoes from growing in yards also can be done by cutting weeds and tall grass and getting rid of standing water, Otterson said.

Bug repellents that contain 15 percent DEET are most effective to ward off mosquitoes. But children should not use a bug spray with a higher percentage than that. Bug repellents range in cost from $3 to $5

Long-sleeved shirts and long pants in bright colors also can prevent mosquito bites.

Mosquitoes appear mostly in the early morning and early evening, Otterson said, adding that it would be best to avoid going outdoors during those times.

For mosquito bites, the Mayo Clinic recommends placing an ice pack to the area to alleviate the pain and applying a hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion or baking soda paste several times a day.

Some mosquitoes carry encephalitis, a viral infection of the brain and spinal cord. But this is rare and only 1,500 to 2,000 cases are reported in the United States each year, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of encephalitis are drowsiness, confusion, a sudden fever and severe headache. A doctor should be seen if those symptoms appear.

In Austin, mosquito spraying will be done by the same company as last year, More’s Ag Center. Depending on the weather, spraying was scheduled to be done this past weekend on Sunday, as well as July 23, July 2 and Aug. 13. The Aug. 13 date will be changed and moved ahead a week to coincide with the Mower County Fair. The total cost of applications comes to $23,012, or 25 cents per person.

Call Cari Quam at 434-2233 or e-mail her at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.