Weeks of rain, warming temperatures set stage for early mosquito season

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Recent rainfall has provided relief to our Southern California drought while also creating a haven for disease-spreading mosquitoes.

Officials at the Greater Los Angeles Vector Control District are advising Los Angeles County residents to take extra precautions to reduce the risk of mosquito breeding on their properties.

Precautions include draining green, unmaintained pools, rain barrels and other small containers that have collected rain water.

Mosquitoes, like the Aedes species, can complete their life cycles from egg to adult in about a week, if not quicker.

"Mosquito eggs only need a teaspoon of water to complete their life cycle," said Anais Medina Diaz, public information officer at the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District (GLACVCD).

"By eliminating mosquito breeding sources in your home today, you can protect your family's health as temperatures warm up in Southern California," said Medina Diaz.

While residents do their part to tackle the standing water left by the recent rains around their homes, vector control technicians are in the field monitoring disease activity and controlling mosquito populations.

For more information, visit the District's website at www.glacvcd.org.