Orkin Says El Nino Rain Could Bring Mosquitoes, Other Pests

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Nov 17, 2015, 07:49 ET

The Asian tiger mosquito can spread the chikungunya virus and is common in the Southeast United States and parts of the Southwest. Unlike other species, the Asian tiger is active throughout the day, not just at dusk and dawn, and often lives around buildings in urban areas.

Use this information to identify mosquitoes, learn more about their bites and help prevent an infestation around your home.

ATLANTA, Nov. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The El Nino weather system could bring more than heavy rain in the coming months. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Southern United States from California to the Carolinas and up parts of the East Coast will experience wetter than average conditions during the fall and winter as a result of El Nino.

Orkin warns that as long as temperatures stay above freezing in regions where there is above average precipitation, the weather system could also bring an atypical pest season with more mosquitoes, ants, rodents, flies, termites and other occasional invaders.

"Mosquitoes thrive in wet and warm weather," says Entomologist and Orkin Technical Services Director Ron Harrison, Ph.D. "Usually October and November are drier, cooler months causing the mosquito population to decline, but this year could be an exception," he says, adding that other pests can become a nuisance when displaced by flooding.

El Nino 2006-07 was relatively weak, according to The Weather Channel, but provided some of the driest winter weather ever recorded in parts of California. However, the record-setting 1997-98 El Nino was the warmest and wettest in 104 years and included flooding in the southeast and California. A comparison by the National Center for Atmospheric Research shows revealing similarities between this year's sea surface temperatures and those in 1997-98, and NOAA confirms that an already strong El Nino will continue into – and likely peak – during winter 2015-16.

Pests Impacted by Flooding:

Mosquitoes need only a few inches of standing water to breed and temperatures above freezing to thrive.
Ants may be forced to higher, drier ground in the corners and crevices of a home.
Fire ants will hook together to form floating rafts and wait out a flood until they can re-establish.
Rodents that are forced indoors by flooding may carry diseases with them.
Flies feed on garbage, and their population can increase if trash and filth are allowed to collect after a storm.
Occasional invaders like centipedes, millipedes, earwigs and roly-polies can slip in under doors when the water table starts to rise.
Termites can more easily damage a home if flooding washes away termite-treated soil, leaving a home's foundation unprotected.

Orkin advises families to continue taking precautions to help prevent pest problems in the event of heavy rain that leaves behind standing water:

Empty any standing water from bird baths, flower planters and toys and playground equipment outside the home to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Clean gutters and downspouts regularly or cover them with mesh to help prevent leaves and debris from collecting and holding water.
Make sure screens around the home, both on windows and doors, fit tightly and have no holes to help keep mosquitoes out of the house.
Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent before heading outside.
Wear long sleeves and pants outside from dawn to dusk, which is prime time for most mosquito activity.

For more information about preventing pests during a storm, visit Orkin.com.

About Orkin, LLC
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects. The company operates more than 400 locations with almost 8,000 employees. Using a proprietary, three-step approach, Orkin provides customized services to approximately 1.7 million homeowners and businesses in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. Orkin is committed to studying pest biology and applying scientifically proven methods. The company collaborates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and eight major universities to conduct research and help educate consumers and businesses on pest-related health threats. Learn more about Orkin at http://orkin.com. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL).