Make Nexus Hot News part of your morning: click here to subscribe.October 1, 2018
Giant Mosquitos Swarm North Carolina
“gallnipper” (Psorophora ciliata)
Flooding from Hurricane Florence has activated dormant “gallnipper” (
Psorophora ciliata) eggs, among others, leading to the hatching of billions of unusually large mosquitoes. Gallnippers lay their eggs in moist, low-elevation areas, where heavy rains or flooding trigger eventual hatching.
In less than a week, larvae grow to adult size, which is about three times that of normal mosquitoes.
The insects are so big that they’ve been mistaken for wasps 😲 and jokingly called the new state bird. According to entomology professor Michael Reiskind of North Carolina State University, disease transmission isn’t a leading concern with gallnippers and other post-Florence mosquito species. Nevertheless, the outbreak is a public health issue as it drives people to stay indoors and slows the storm recovery process. Last Wednesday, Gov. Roy Cooper directed $4 million toward mosquito control efforts in 27 counties.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-carolina/articles/2018-09-30/after-florence-communities-work-to-keep-mosquitoes-at-bay