00:00You might think cooler weather means a break from mosquitoes and ticks,
00:03but experts with the National Pest Management Association say
00:06they don't play by the same seasonal rules we do.
00:09Mosquitoes and ticks don't have calendars.
00:12They don't follow the rules of the seasons the way that you or I might think of the seasons.
00:18They can stay active until temperatures consistently drop below 50 degrees.
00:22It actually is going to take a hard freeze for mosquito activity to completely cease for the winter.
00:29During the wintertime, we will even see ticks become more active
00:33when those temperatures kind of head up north of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
00:38This year, tick by ER visits have reached their highest levels since 2017,
00:43and more states are reporting mosquito-borne illnesses like West Nile virus.
00:48People are aware that ticks could result in a disease transmission.
00:53We also know that there are large mosquito and tick populations right now.
00:58Rainy weather adds to the risk, especially when it creates places like birdbaths,
01:03inflatable pools, even wheelbarrows for mosquitoes to breed.
01:07It's only going to take about a week for an egg laid in that water to develop into a biting mosquito.
01:14And so if you can eliminate those breeding areas,
01:16you're going to be able to reduce the population on your property.
01:19If you do find a tick, Frederick says quick removal is key.
01:22Use a pair of tweezers, grasp the tick right as close to the skin as possible,
01:28and then gently but firmly lift up.
01:31Wearing long sleeves, using EPA-approved repellents,
01:34and checking yourself and your pets after spending time outdoors
01:37are still some of the best defenses as we head into colder months.
01:42For AccuWeather, I'm Allie Reed.
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