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By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Duke City residents looking forward to patio season may think they got through an unusually quiet spring bug season unscathed, but Albuquerque — currently ranked 38th on Orkin’s Top 50 Worst Mosquito Cities List — local health officials expect to see a spike in mosquito populations very soon. The recent rainstorms have created about a one- to two-week window before they show up, setting the stage for a June surge in yards just ahead of monsoon season.
The city’s Environmental Health Department is monitoring about 20 mosquito species across the metro area using trap data, including the invasive Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti), known as the “ankle-biter” mosquito. Urban Biology Division Manager Nick Pederson told City Desk the city typically sees two waves of mosquitoes: a spring surge tied to Rio Grande runoff and a summer increase driven by backyard breeding. He said dry conditions slowed this year’s spring runoff-driven spike, but trap counts are now starting to rise.
Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they are the deadliest animal in the world, responsible for more than 600,000 malaria-related deaths each year globally. Pederson said Albuquerque is not currently seeing local transmission of tropical diseases such as dengue or yellow fever. He said the city reserves truck spraying for emergency public health response, using it only when surveillance traps detect high levels of Culex mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus.
Because the city does not spray or fog mosquitoes in response to residential complaints, Burqueños must take action to eliminate breeding sites around their homes where mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water. Pederson said container-breeding mosquitoes thrive in common backyard spaces, noting he recently found them swarming around a plastic trash bag in his yard where just a quarter-inch of water had collected underneath. He said simply dumping water out is not enough because eggs can survive and hatch later when water returns. Instead, he said residents should scrub items such as birdbaths, pet bowls and water dishes with a bleach solution to fully eliminate mosquito eggs.
To prepare for the incoming mosquito invasion, residents can call 311 as a one-stop resource for mosquito prevention services and information. Through 311, residents can request an on-site consultation where city staff will identify hidden breeding sites and recommend ways to reduce mosquito activity around their homes. Residents can also sign up for the city’s Mosquito Fish Distribution program, which provides free larvae-eating fish for ponds, fountains and rain barrels.
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