ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — If you’re noticing more mosquitoes and their annoying bites, you’re not alone.
Due to the recent rain, crews with the Orange County Mosquito Control are working overtime to help prevent mosquito-borne illnesses and nuisance mosquitoes, county officials said Monday.
"They're everywhere. We get bit every single day. We're like honey to them," said resident Priscilla Cruz.
County officials said residents in east Orange County have reported an increase in mosquitoes and they have asked the area to be treated. Kelly Deutsch, manager for Orange County Mosquito Control, reports that while the division typically receives about 10 calls a day from residents in need of assistance, calls have increased up to tenfold, officials said. Winter Park is also seeing an increase, officials said.
"We have crews going out every single night, working overtime right now because of the high mosquito population," said Deutsch.
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Most of the mosquitoes are the ones found in wetland areas or natural settings, known as "nuisance mosquitoes." The bugs are not the ones that carry disease, officials said.
However, officials said they are seeing the disease-carrying mosquitoes in man-made containers, so officials recommend getting rid of any standing water.
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Mosquito control crews are using dry ice to lure the mosquitoes because it emits carbon dioxide, so it emulates human breath, which the mosquitoes are naturally attracted to.
Orange County crews work to treat or eliminate breeding environments for mosquitoes. They also spray specific areas against the threat of mosquitoes, as well as using specially equipped trucks to apply larger volumes of material through neighborhoods and rural communities. Crews also use aerial spray if other measures do not work, officials said.
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