LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — As the unofficial start of summer begins, health officials are warning residents to take precautions against mosquitoes and ticks as warmer temperatures and a wet spring create ideal breeding conditions for the pests.
Standing water left behind from recent rains can quickly become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Officials say even small amounts of water, such as puddles, buckets, bird baths, or bottle caps, can allow mosquitoes to reproduce.
“It takes less than two weeks to go from eggs to maturity for mosquitoes,” said Allen County Health Commissioner Brandon Fischer.
Health officials encourage residents to remove standing water around their homes and to use insect repellent and protective clothing when spending time outdoors. Fischer said people who are bitten by mosquitoes should monitor their symptoms but do not necessarily need medical attention.
“It’s not something that after you’re bit by mosquito, we’d recommend going getting treated right away,” Fischer said. “But if you’re starting to feel fever, soreness, and you do know that you’ve had a history of a lot of mosquito bites, reach out to your healthcare provider and see if they’d be able to get you in.”
Fischer also said reports of ticks are increasing throughout the area, with many people finding them on pets and humans after spending time outdoors. He recommends keeping grass trimmed and wearing long sleeves and pants tucked into socks when walking through grassy or wooded areas. Unlike mosquitoes, ticks do not fly and instead attach themselves to animals or people as they pass by. Ticks often remain on a host for several hours before biting, Fischer said, giving people time to find and remove them.
“Check to make sure that they’re not on you in any areas that are kind of the pinch points in your body and kind of areas that are warm and moist,” Fischer said. “Like your armpits, behind your ears, belly button, back of your knees, and the groin area. Those are areas that they like to go because it’s kind of sheltered from exposure there.”
Fischer added that diseases carried by ticks are not immediately transmitted and can take up to two days after a tick attaches to spread infection.
