Active monsoon season results in mosquito boom across the Phoenix area

Monsoon rain beings more mosquitoes to the Valley

Workers in Maricopa County are setting traps to test mosquitoes for West Nile. Meanwhile, companies are getting more and more calls about mosquitoes. FOX 10's Brian Webb reports.

PHOENIX - Recent rainfall as a result of monsoon activity means there are pools and puddles of stagnant and standing water. That also means there's a lot of mosquitoes.

Expert details the hunt for mosquitoes

Most of the mosquitoes biting now are daytime mosquitoes that were borne out of the recent rains. It is the night biting mosquitoes that can carry dangerous diseases, after feeding on birds.

Meanwhile, the people who battle bugs for a living are very busy.

With mosquitoes, the adults like to hang out in trees and bushes until humans show up.

"You being outside, you’re the attraction at that point. And they’re coming specifically for you," said Anthony Bonilla with Mosquito Authority, which mostly hunts mosquitoes in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley area.

What mosquitos really love is standing water. It is the preferred breeding ground for a mosquito baby boom.

"Very bad. I mean, majority of our customers have all called in," said Bonilla.

One of Bonilla's visits was to a house he has already been to before, so he knows the hotspots. He sprayed one pesticide for the larva, and one for the pupa.

"They fly around there buzzing. They’re annoying. They bite you, they transfer diseases, they’re a hassle," said Bonilla.

Vector Control swamped with mosquito calls

It has been said that up to 100 mosquitoes can hatch out of standing water in something the size of a bottle cap. With that said, thousands of mosquito complaints are flooding Maricopa County’s Vector Control.

So far, 800 mosquito traps have revealed 177 West Nile Virus cases, prompting a fogging campaign of over 80,000 acres for the month of August.

"You want to be able to get in there and take care of the one and two to knock down the mosquitoes, so that nobody gets sick," said John Townsend with Maricopa County Environmental Services.

People can fight mosquitoes themselves, mostly by getting rid of standing water.

Fight The Bite - Mosquito Hotline

602-506-0700

http://FightTheBiteMaricopa.org