DEET Is No Match for Yellow Fever Female Mosquito

By Emily Wood, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Did you know there is a mosquito in Oklahoma that can't be deterred by your typical defenses? A new Texas A&M study shows the traditional sprays are no match for this particular critter.

Sometimes the all-powerful ingredient known as DEET is no match for certain kinds of irritating bugs. Oklahoma's own Yellow Fever Female is the culprit.

"It's more of a tropical, subtropical mosquito, but we do have it in Oklahoma," said horticulture educator Ray Ridlen. "All the female mosquitoes will bite you."

And scientists are trying to figure out why DEET doesn't work on her. They don't know if she's always been resistant to the potent product or if she's found a way to overcome it.

"Well, we hope it's not they're mutated to where we have a population not deterred by DEET," Ridlen said.

Mosquitoes are most often found near pools and puddles. Yellow Fever Females are no exception. So, no matter what weapon you choose, you can still expect a bite or two on hot summer days.

"Any time we have a place for them to lay their eggs in that will hold water we're going to have more mosquitoes," Ridlen said.

Ray Ridlen has been following the native Oklahoma critters for years. And he says he does not know an effective way to fight the yellow lady.

Candles and sprays and roll-on itch relievers are just a few of the devices Oklahomans use. They say they'll try anything to annihilate the Yellow Fever Female.

Since last week's flooding Ridlen says mosquitoes are overtaking the area breeding in those pools and puddles left around the metro. Anytime the yellow lady has babies they will be resistant to DEET as well. That resistance is a dominant gene.

Try these simple recipes or try your own and then let us know how well they work in the comment section below this story.

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