Summer time here in Central Texas means pools, camping, fishing and yes, mosquitoes. Nothing ruins a sit on the porch faster than a bunch of flies and mosquitoes buzzing around and landing in my drink.

Let's not forget the diseases that mosquitoes carry. As of now, mosquitoes are not known to carry COVID-19 but we do know that here in Central Texas they can carry Malaria, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, Encephalitis, and West Nile Virus, just to name a few.

Kelly Crane with the McLennan County Public Health District tells Emily Setser and FOX44 News, "Mosquitoes carry a variety of diseases – including West Nile, Zika in humans and heartworms in dogs.”

Yep. It's not just us humans that are at risk here - our pets are, too.



At dusk and dawn are the times you'll most likely see these pests, but there is a way to deter them.

Crane recommends using mosquito repellent with Deet, and to be sure you reapply it if you're going to be out for a long period of time. She also suggests checking your yard, patio, potted plants, any tarps you're using to cover items in your yard, and other areas where they might be a shallow pool of standing water. As you probably know, mosquitoes love to lay their eggs there.

Texasmosquito.org has a section with tons of information about mosquito species in Texas, how to repel and prevent them, and what you need to know about treating bites. This section covers the diseases these annoying pests can carry.

Mosquitoes don't know about "social distancing" and they never mind their own business, so it's always good to be prepared for them when you're planning an outdoor event.

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