This Bites! Did You Just Get Infected By Mosquito with West Nile

Mosquitos carrying the West Nile virus have been located West and South of the Capital Region. On Monday Westchester County confirmed their first human case of the virus this year. Less than a month ago Syracuse.com reported that aerial spraying started in Oswego County after the deadly virus was found in mosquitos there. We would be foolish to think they aren't already in the Albany area.

So how do you spot them? You don't! They look like all the other mosquitos we slap at. So what can we do? Get rid of the standing water around your home, work or anywhere! This is where these buggers come from.

Get our free mobile app

Here are a few suggestions from the CDC:

Remove standing water because this is where they lay their eggs.
Keep mosquitoes outside. (Well duh)
Install or repair and use window and door screens.
Use air conditioning when possible.

If you do venture outside:

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Use insect repellents with DEET

Most mosquitos are considered "nuisance mosquitos" and don't carry the deadly virus. If they do carry the West Nile virus, infection is usually mild to moderate with flu-like symptoms. It can be more serious with individuals over 60 and those with other health complications.

Have you noticed an increase in mosquitos this Summer? I have and it even seems like some of them are bigger than usual. That might be my imagination but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we may be seeing an increase of the biting insects due to the topical storms that have passed by recently.

We have had tropical storm Henri and Ida dumping more rain that usual and this is the perfect brew for these mosquitos. Immediately following a storm such as these, mosquito eggs laid in the soil begin to hatch. This results in very large populations of floodwater mosquitoes.