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Dry summer creates 'mosquito pandemic' in East Baton Rouge Parish

1 year 1 week 14 hours ago Saturday, October 28 2023 Oct 28, 2023 October 28, 2023 1:05 PM October 28, 2023 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - Even with the fall chill in the air, mosquitoes are still swarming all over south Louisiana. The insect is usually long gone by the autumn months, but the dry summer weather contributed to unusual breeding habits for mosquitoes during the fall.

The East Baton Rouge Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control crews work overtime addressing the unusual issue across the parish. 

Emanuel Osagie works for EBR Mosquito Abatement. Saturday morning, he loaded up his big red truck packed full of extermination gear and sprayed yards littered with the insects.

"On a normal basis in October, we would be spraying a little less than 100 homes a day," he said. "Right now we're spraying about 200."

Osagie emphasized that for Baton Rouge, the mosquitoes were bred a few parishes away in Lake Maurepas. Then, the insects were blown toward Baton Rouge, leading to heavier swarms.

Six nights a week, crews in a spray truck drive around East Baton Rouge killing mosquitoes, along with regularly covering 20 acres a week with a plane.

"Right now, we have a regional mosquito pandemic, so to speak," Osagie said.

To avoid bites, Osagie urges parents to apply bug spray on children before heading out for candy Tuesday night for Halloween. 

The East Baton Rouge Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control is a tax payer provided service, meaning a call for mosquito help won't break the bank. 

Click here to contact.

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