The nice spring weather northern Nevada has been seeing lately comes with its consequences. In this case, mosquitoes and midges are all the buzz in the North Valleys.
Silver Lake has had a lot of pesky visitors lately, as mosquitoes, and their similar looking yet harmless counterparts midges, have returned. It's safe to say these pests have not gone unnoticed by many North Valleys residents, like Bryan Ramirez.
Ramirez says he started noticing the increase of insects a few days ago, "It is annoying, there's so many of them. Last week, we're like oh man, it's that time of year again."
Living right across the street from Silver Lake, he's no stranger to the problem. The lake typically runs dry but was filled with water from the wet winter the area saw last year.
Stagnant water, as many of us know, is an enticing invitation to the little biters. Mosquitoes are not only annoying, but they can carry diseases, like West Nile Virus.
The Washoe County Health Department says they are trying to get ahead of the problem this year, so their Vector-Borne Disease Prevention Program has scheduled their first spray for April 25th, which is earlier than usual.
Still, personal protection may be your best defense against disease-carrying mosquitoes. Ramirez adds, "No matter how much you spray, [Silver Lake] is just a giant puddle of water. They're just going to keep coming back. There's nothing you can do to really stop them unless you get rid of the water that's just sitting there--and that's really hard."
Residents should take precautions like bug spray, make sure screens on your doors and/or windows are in good shape, and using insect repellent candles can also help. It's also important to vaccinate horses and clear out any standing water you may have in your yards.
For more mosquito protection tips from the CDC, click here. If you'd like to learn more about Washoe County's Vector-Borne Disease Prevention Program, click here.
