By TIM ALEXANDER

Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Months of flooding have created a perfect storm of conditions for floodwater mosquitoes (Aedes vexans) to flourish, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is warning those who live or work in proximity to rain-swollen waterways.

Also known as nuisance mosquitoes, floodwater mosquitoes are not known to carry disease, but still pose a risk for infection in humans through their bite.

“It is important to protect yourself from insect bites, even if they are not known to cause disease,” cautioned Dr. Ngozi Ezike, IDPH director. “While the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus (WNV) prefer hot-dry conditions, even the mosquitoes that flourish in cooler, wet weather bring the potential for infection if you scratch a bite and create a wound. Taking some simple precautions can help keep you healthy.”

With standing water present in ditches, yards, business properties, and virtually everywhere waterways are, conditions are ripe for floodwater mosquitoes, whose larvae can hatch within 10 days. Floodwater mosquitoes can travel up to 10 miles from where they breed, according to the IDPH.

With the warmer weather of July approaching, health officials warn that conditions will improve for house mosquitoes (Culex pipiens) that can carry WNV. In Illinois, nine counties have reported mosquitoes or birds testing positive for it already this year.

House mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, such as ditches, empty barrels, containers, tires, and other repositories containing standing water that are not dumped weekly.

Mosquito abatement on the farm, especially those with livestock, becomes extremely important this year for Illinois farmers whose operations are located close to waterways and flood situations. According to The Ultimate Guide to Mosquito Management on the Farm, published by Mosquito Magnet, protecting farmland from mosquito-borne disease is crucial to ensuring the continuity of the food chain.

Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance on the farm – they are a threat to its very livelihood and health.

“Insect control can seem like a daunting task, not the least of which is because of their resilience throughout the seasons,” according to the Guide. “Managing this problem while running a farm also presents a unique set of challenges.”

Though chemicals, foggers, and larvicides are an option, open land, vegetation, and large areas with livestock can present complications in controlling mosquitoes. While some products target only mosquito larvae, others can be potentially toxic to crops or livestock.

In addition, local or municipal health regulations may not approve certain forms of chemical control.

“There are also land considerations when farmers consider changing the configuration of the property or adjacent lands to prevent mosquito breeding ground. If wetlands adjacent to the farm are fertile mosquito breeding grounds, be mindful that some wetland vegetation is protected,” said the Guide.

“There are, however, several types of alterations that can help reduce the mosquito population without damaging the natural environment. As always, consulting the local municipality is essential to ensuring no laws are broken or protected land altered.”

Other abatement measures farmers may consider include adding mosquito-eating fish to waters around the property, installing bat houses, or relying on technological devices such as specialized mosquito traps. Efficient mosquito trapping machines emit harmless gasses that can draw, capture, and kill them.

The Mosquito Magnet company website offers more information on how these devices function, along with side-by-side comparisons of different models, at www.mosquitomagnet.com

All farmers can help control mosquitoes on their properties by performing management practices including eliminating wastewater that has been standing for more than four days; keeping properties irrigated so no surface water is standing more than four days; and properly maintaining areas around ponds, ditches, and shallow wastelands.

Ponds, ditches, fields and containers, old tires, birdbaths, clogged gutters, garbage can lids, and even pet food bowls can all be used as mosquito breeding grounds if not properly cleaned out.