Dallas-Fort Worth area will see more mosquitoes because of rains
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Complete forecast, radar
West Nile virus
Less than 1 percent of those bitten by infected mosquitoes become severely ill. Symptoms include stiff neck, high fever and severe headache. Health officials urge people to follow the " Four D's" to defend themselves against West Nile virus.
Dusk and dawn are when mosquitoes are most active. Try to stay indoors then.
Dress in long sleeves and pants when outside.
DEET is the ingredient to look for in insect repellent. For adults, look for 20 percent DEET; for children, 10 percent. For those who like organic products, lemon eucalyptus oil also works.
Drain standing water in the back yard and neighborhood.
Source: Texas Department of Health
Mosquitoes are already out in full force in North Texas, but with the latest round of thunderstorms, more of the pesky insects are on the way.
"We should all look for a flush of mosquitoes over the next couple of weeks," said Dr. Michael Merchant, an urban entomologist for the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Dallas.
Heavy rains produce the floodwaters and standing water that mosquitoes love to breed in, said Dr. Mark Johnsen, extension specialist in the Agricultural and Environmental Safety Unit at Texas A&M University.
Floodwater mosquitoes lay eggs in the soil in areas prone to flooding, and when it rains, the eggs come to the surface and hatch in about two weeks.
"It's like instant coffee," Johnsen said.
Floodwater mosquitoes are mostly an irritation, he said.
The standing-water mosquitoes are more dangerous because they are more likely to carry diseases like West Nile virus and encephalitis.
They lay their eggs on the surface in stagnant water.
"The nastier the water, the better," Johnsen said.
They prefer standing water because it is not home to predators that will eat their larvae.
These mosquitoes are more widespread than their "floodwater" brethren in the Fort Worth area, said Ken Johnson, a Tarrant County extension agent.
Three people died last year in Tarrant County of West Nile-associated causes.
Mosquito bites can also be life-threatening for pets because the insects can carry tiny roundworm larvae, according the American Heartworm Society's website.
HILARY COLLINS, 817-390-7416
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