Mosquitoes carry many diseases that can infect people.
The Earth's weather patterns affect all living creatures, including mosquitoes. During an El Nino year, mosquito populations can increase dramatically, even in city regions. Storms caused by the El Nino effect bring more rain to the continents, leaving large pools full of mosquito larvae. As a result, the surrounding human population has the potential for contracting mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria or yellow fever.
El Nino Effect
An El Nino year occurs about every 3 to 6 years. Typically, the strong trade winds that blow near the equator control the Pacific Ocean's current system. The currents keep the western tropical Pacific waters warm and the eastern Pacific waters cool. However, an El Nino year weakens the trade winds. The warm waters from the tropics spread throughout the Pacific Ocean. In response, the Earth's weather patterns try to balance the excess heat along the Equator with the cold poles' climate by creating rainstorms, especially affecting the west coasts of both North and South America.
Rainstorm Effects
During El Nino, regions that do not see a lot of normal rainfall become soaked with multiple rainstorms. The constant rain does not allow the ground to dry out in between storms, culminating in flooding. The floods leave many areas of pooled water, creating a perfect nursery for developing mosquito larvae.
Mosquito Lifecycle
A mosquito lays eggs into a calm pool of water. The eggs float on the water's surface. Within two days, the eggs hatch into larvae. The larvae live within the water until they molt their skin four times, resulting in a pupa mosquito form. After two days of living as a pupa, the mosquito sheds its skin and becomes an adult. This growth process will continue constantly, as long as the water contains edible organic matter for the mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes and Pooled Water
Each pool of water that stands undisturbed is a potential nursery for mosquito larvae. El Nino produces many areas of wet, standing water that do not evaporate quickly due to the constant cloud coverage and sustained rainstorms. The mosquitoes' extremely fast growth cycle allows countless births of adult mosquitoes, until the water finally evaporates.
Mosquito-Borne Illnesses
Mosquitoes carry diseases that affect humans, as well as canines and horses. Typical diseases are yellow fever, malaria, West Nile virus and dog heartworm. According to the American Mosquito Control Association, more than one million people die from mosquito-borne diseases each year. Clear away any standing pools of water near homes as soon as possible for preventing large mosquito population increases.
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