The big picture
Two weeks after Beryl brought upwards of nine inches of rain to the area, city of Sugar Land officials are seeing an increase in mosquitoes citywide, Streets and Drainage Manager Ryon Bell said in a July 19 Facebook video.
“The mosquitoes are so bad right now because of Hurricane Beryl,” Bell said. “Typically, what that does is it puts water in places where previous mosquitos might have laid eggs and they’ve hatched now.”
Zooming in
To combat the increase of mosquitoes, Bell said the city will spray for mosquitoes two times a week on Tuesdays and Fridays after 9 p.m. rather than one night per week.
Additionally, city staff have placed larvicide, which prevents mosquito larvae from hatching, around the city.
As the city works to eliminate the abundance of mosquitoes, Bell said residents should:
- Drain standing water, including flower pots, bird baths and gutters
- Dress in long sleeves and pants when outside
- Say indoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active
- Use insect repellent containing diethyltoluamide, also known as DEET, or picaridin
According to city news releases, the city of Sugar Land has already detected two instances of West Nile virus in area mosquitos, including:
- July 2: Elkins Road near Oakland Drive as well as Stone Trail Drive near Greatwood Parkway
- July 12: Homeward Way and Kendall Creek Drive
Keep in mind
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease spread by obtaining a bite from an infected carrier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many with the virus don’t show any symptoms, though those who do can exhibit:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Fever
- Muscle and joint aches
