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Friday, September 15, 2006
ATTACK OF THE BLOODSUCKERS‘The mosquitoes were here first. They keep the whiners inside.’
By MARK I. JOHNSON
STAFF WRITERDAYTONA BEACH — Buzz. Slap. Familiar sounds during the summer months in Southeast Volusia as mosquitoes swarm across the landscape seeking blood from residents and tourists alike. While these flying syringes are a nuisance to some, for others they are just part of the natural environment. “The mosquitoes were here first,” New Smyrna Beach resident Joe Gorski said from the fishing pier in Edgewater’s Veterans Park where he was watching the sunrise. “They keep the whiners inside.” Carlton Payne is not one of them. The 66-year-old Oak Hill fisherman has been dealing with the stinging creatures for many years. “I just put on a long-sleeve shirt when they get bad,” he said while preparing his boat for a morning on Mosquito Lagoon. “You just have to live with them. It is part of Florida.” That doesn’t mean they don’t get annoying, especially in the grassy areas of his orange groves, he said. “They spray pretty often and that keeps them down for a couple of days, but then they are right back,” Payne said. Crews with the East Volusia Mosquito Control District have been busy recently trying to keep the mosquito population in check, according to its director Jonas Stewart. “As the rain has picked up (in August and September) so did the mosquitoes” he said. “Usually the problem arises in June and July, but this year it has been confined to a shorter period, making it seem more intense.” Most of the critters are the salt marsh variety, Stewart said. So in addition to covering residential areas, his personnel have been spraying the islands in the lagoon from the air to eradicate the immature mosquitoes. While the bugs can present a health problem, carrying diseases like equine encephalitis and West Nile virus, Stewart said so far this year they have been mainly annoying. Mike Miner isn’t going to take any chances. He said every time he is outdoors, he sprays himself with mosquito repellent. “They like my blood, but I don’t like them,” Miner said. That sentiment comes from experience. He said he caught malaria while in the service. “I sprayed myself as soon as I got out of the car,” he said before heading to his fishing spot. Pat Kisiday thinks the same way. “I bathe in (repellent)” she said while standing at her crossing guard post at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Halifax Avenue in Oak Hill. Her job brings her out during prime mosquito time — before the sun comes up — and while the bugs don’t bite her, they still swarm. “I forgot to spray once, and it was awful,” the Edgewater resident said. In addition to using repellent, Stewart said the best protection is to wear light colored, loose fitting clothing with long sleeves and pants legs. Residents can also prevent some bites by ensuring there are no breeding sites (standing water) in their yards. “People get complacent, then they pay for it with homegrown mosquitoes,” Stewart said. Did You Know? Dragonflies are sometimes called “mosquito hawks” because they catch and eat so many mosquitoes. Always on the hunt, dragonflies consume gnats, flies, and mosquitoes — all of which humans consider pests. Dragonfly nymphs (the first stage after hatching) live in water for about a year. While underwater they eat mosquito nymphs, tiny fish, and pollywogs. When they mature to airborne insects, they catch mosquitoes and gnats in mid-air before devouring them. The name “dragonfly” comes from their fierce jaws, which they use to catch their prey. Dragonflies were around before the dinosaurs. Other than being smaller, modern-day dragonflies do not look very different from their prehistoric ancestors. Today, the largest dragonfly is found in Costa Rica. It has a wingspan of 7 1/2 inches. They only flap their wings at about 30 beats per second (bps) compared to a bee’s 300 bps. Excellent and strong fliers, they can loop-the-loop, hover, and fly backwards. — SOURCE: University of Tennessee Homepage
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