Mosquito explosion coming as La Niña brings soaking rains
La Niña has already brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of Australia, but the wet weather system is ushering in another threat; an explosion of mosquitoes, which could carry disease.
The weather event, confirmed to have formed over the Pacific Ocean by the Bureau of Meteorology on November 23, means Australia is in store for a wet summer.
And where the rains fall the mosquitoes follow, Associate Professor Cameron Webb from NSW Health Pathology, told 9news.com.au.
READ MORE: Search after three people left Howard Springs quarantine facility
Mosquito populations are expected to explode as humid, wet weather creates 'ideal conditions'. Cameron Webb
"Mosquitos love warmth and they love water," Dr Webb said.
"There's been so much rain in the last couple of weeks, we really expect mosquito populations to increase substantially over the coming weeks.
"We're expecting the population to increase, but just how much the increase is depends on how warm it gets in those flooded areas."
READ MORE: What diseases can you catch from a mozzie bite in Australia?
While mosquito numbers will increase, Dr Webb doesn't think the size of individual insects will increase.
"It's going to be the sheer quantity of them that's the main problem," he said.
"There won't necessarily be bigger but there will be more of them."
Dr Webb said mosquito larvae will thrive once water clarity improves in flooded paddocks and wetlands. Cameron Webb
There are about 300 mosquito species in Australia and they're found in "virtually most parts of Australia".
The blood-sucking insects traditionally start to appear in spring, with the population peak expected throughout summer.
Aedes sagax is 'just one of the floodwater mosquitoes', western NSW is likely to see more of. Cameron Webb
However, some warmer areas can experience them as late as autumn.
Dr Webb said currently there aren't as many mosquitoes around as weather has been cooler, but this is the "calm before the storm."
Amid the inundation, Dr Webb urged resident to keep across health alerts.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito spreads dengue fever, among many other diseases. AP
Mosquitoes are vectors of disease, with Australia at risk of Ross River virus and Dengue in the Top End.
Every state and territory in the country is potentially at risk of Ross River virus, Dr Webb said.
While the risk is low, it is still there he said.
"Although we see more disease when we see more mosquitoes, more mosquitoes don't necessarily mean more disease," he said.
"The reason for that is they don't hatch out of floodwaters already carrying the virus, they have to bite an animal first — usually a native marsupial or a bird.
"But it's important to keep an eye out for warnings from state and territory health authorities that have monitoring programs in place."
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
