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SALT LAKE CITY — If you think the mosquitoes are out early this year, it's not just your imagination. Blame it on the mild winter, and early spring — and experts say those bugs are already causing concern for the West Nile virus.
Mosquito abatement technicians were busy Tuesday prepping traps, filling them with dry ice. The carbon dioxide released draws the bloodsucking insects in.
"Then we catch them alive," explained Gary Hatch. "The ones we want tested for West Nile virus, we put into small tubes."
We had a very warm spring, so (the mosquitoes) came out very early in the spring and started biting and laying eggs.
–Gary Hatch, Davis County Mosquito Abatement
Hatch, the director of the Davis County Mosquito Abatement District, says the process typically pull in anywhere from 20 to 50 bugs. But this year, the traps are pulling in much more than they expected.
"When you catch 600, that raises some alarm," Hatch said.
In Davis County, mosquito abatement experts say the number of mosquitoes that carry the virus is up to the highest level they've seen in 20 years. So, they're warning people to use the repellant sprays, or even wear long sleeves if they can handle it.
"We had a very warm spring, so (the mosquitoes) came out very early in the spring and started biting and laying eggs," Hatch said.
This 2005 photograph shows a close-up view of a Culex Tarsalis mosquito resting on a piece of fabric. ...C. tarsalis are medium-sized medium sized mosquitoes, the epidemiologic importance of which lies in its ability to spread Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE), and California Encephalitis, and is currently the main vector of West Nile virus in the Western United States.
Source: CDC Public Health Image Library
He says the pests started showing up about three weeks ahead of schedule. On top of that, warmer weather allowed more of them to survive through the winter.
"That was what caused major concern," Hatch said. "To have that many (Cutex) tarsalis already in May is really something new for us."
It's a concern because Cutex tarsalis mosquitoes are one of the mosquito breeds known to carry the West Nile virus.
"We're really trying to get on top of it and stay ahead of it, and make sure that we don't have a bad West Nile virus year," Hatch said.
The traps assembled Tuesday were placed near likely breeding grounds, like Farmington Bay. The mosquitoes will be sent out for testing Wednesday, with results expected by early next week.
Whether higher numbers will actually mean more cases of the West Nile virus remains to be seen.
