Those annoying pests make outdoor activities in Florida a literal pain with the itchy welts left behind after a "bite."
Even worse are all the diseases they carry; and there's quite a list of them.
The Florida Department of Health monitors mosquito-borne diseases in the state, both those acquired in the state and those appearing in people who have traveled.
Bonus on the bottom of this story: Mosquito trivia that could cause quite the buzz, including what city is known as the mosquito capital of the United States.
With some parts of Florida already seeing flooding this week , with more rains and possibly more standing water on the way, the mosquito problem is likely to worsen in coming days and weeks.
West Nile Virus: Illnesses acquired in Florida total three cases, reported in the following counties:
Duval (July)
Marion (July)
Walton (July)
Dengue: Illnesses acquired in Florida total 29 cases, reported in the following counties:
Miami-Dade: 19
Hillsborough: 3
Monroe: 3
Orange: 2
Manatee: 1
Pasco: 1
What is an arbovirus?
Arbovirus are infections caused by a group of viruses that spread to people through the bites of insects, such as mosquitoes and ticks.
Infected mosquitoe s are the most common type of arthropods — insects — that spread diseases, according to the New York Department of Health.
4 new cases of dengue reported in Florida Aug. 25-31
Four cases of locally acquired dengue were reported Aug. 25-31, according to the Florida Department of Health. That brings the year's total to 29 across six counties.
See mosquito-borne illness advisories and alerts issued for Florida
Counties under a mosquito-borne illness advisory include:
Alachua
Bay
Duval
Holmes
Madison
Mantatee
Nassau
Orange
Pasco
Counties under a mosquito-borne illness alert include:
Hillsborough
Marion
Miami-Dade
Monroe
Walton
What's the difference between an advisory and an alert for mosquito-borne illnesses?
An advisory is issued if there is one positive locally acquired case in the past week, said James Williams, press secretary with the Florida Department of Health.
An alert is issued if there are two or more positive locally acquired cases in the prior week.
How long the advisories and alerts are in effect depend on the different type of mosquito-borne illness but generally range from six to 12 weeks.
Sentinel chickens? What are those and what do they have to do with mosquitoes?
Blood samples from sentinel chickens throughout Florida counties are taken from each chicken weekly and then sent to a state lab, which l ooks for antibodies to the various illnesses , according to an explanation posted by Volusia County's Mosquito Control.
"Chickens do not become sick from these viruses and the viruses are unable to replicate in the chicken, therefore chickens cannot spread the virus to other mosquitoes. If a chicken has antibodies against one of these viruses then we know that virus is circulating in the mosquito population," Volusia County's Mosquito Control said.
What are the symptoms of dengue fever?
The most common dengue symptom is a high fever of 104 degrees, and any of the following signs:
Headache
Muscle, bone or joint pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Rash
Pain behind the eyes
Swollen glands
Mild symptoms of dengue can be confused with other illnesses that cause fever, the CDC said.
Drain and cover: Protect yourself from mosquito-borne illnesses
"The big thing is prevention. We're not in a crisis and it's not something to be freaking out about. In Florida, it's nothing unusual and as we get hotter and wetter, there are going to be more mosquitoes," Williams said.
"Drain and cover is going to be gospel. Drain standing water every two to three days; every day is even better.
Also wear approved mosquito repellent. Repellent is not always the best for toddlers who put their hands in their mouths so cover up with summerweight materials. Use screens for your home, car and tent.
"You want to limit mosquitoes' ability to lay larvae and eliminate them getting to you."
If you think you don't have anything that needs to be drained, consider these:
Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has collected.
Discard old tires, bottles, pots, broken appliances and other items not being used.
Empty and clean birdbaths and pets’ water bowls at least twice a week.
Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that do not accumulate water.
Maintain swimming pools in good condition and chlorinated. Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.
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