Healthy Living

We all know that April showers bring May flowers. But when those showers continue in May, and linger through June, what does that bring?

Well, in addition to the frustration of not being able to enjoy the Great Outdoors, it brings mosquitoes. Lots of them.

Early reports from the state suggest that this is going to be a whopper year for mosquitoes. So far, they are finding up to five times more mosquitoes than they normally would at this time of the year. And as the weather heats up, it can only get worse.

For the most part, mosquito bites are mostly nuisances, unsightly, uncomfortable and itchy.

But these pests can transmit more serious diseases such as West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, which for vulnerable populations such as the very young and elderly can result in hospitalization and even death. Symptoms can include fever, headaches and body aches.

The odds of this happening in our neck of the woods are very low, but we should be mindful of these pesky critters. Here are some tips to avoid them:

• They are most active at dawn and dusk, so limiting your time outside at these times help.

• If you are going to be outside at this time, remember this phrase: “Sun down, sleeves down.” Long sleeves and pants are the way to go.

• Use mosquito repellant with DEET.

• Check for standing water on your property. Tarps, birdbaths, pool covers, clogged rain gutters and buckets are idea places for mosquitoes to breed.

• If you have a tire swing, poke holes in it so the water doesn’t collect.

• Bat houses. Bats may not be pretty, but they are an excellent method of mosquito control – they can eat up to 600 mosquitoes per hour!

It was a long, cold, snowy winter. Then came the endless rains this spring. We all deserve to enjoy some sunny weather this summer, so take precautions so that bugs don’t put a damper on the fun. To learn more, watch our video at www.backushospital.org/multimedia.

Robin Heard is a registered nurse and Coordinator of Infectious Disease at The William W. Backus Hospital. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. If you want to comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Heard or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org