Summer Weather In Oklahoma Is Perfect For Breeding Mosquitoes

The combination of heat and rain can be very uncomfortable, but mosquitoes are loving it.

Experts at the Tulsa-OSU Extension Center say this weather is the perfect situation for mosquitoes to breed. Especially, those carrying dangerous viruses.

Dave Tabron just finished a long hike at Tulsa's Turkey Mountain.

"It was great! It was really nice, yeah. The shade is really nice," said Dave Tabron.

Tabron and his family are on a cross-country road trip from Ohio and are stopping along the way to see the sights.  Before every hike, Dave says they bring out the basics.

"Bug spray, sun tan lotion, equipment for the dog," said Dave Tabron. 

Bug spray, because he's especially concerned about mosquitoes and ticks.

"It's more of a comfort thing, the possibilities always exist with communicable diseases," said Dave Tabron.  

Health officials in southwest Oklahoma found a species of mosquitoes capable of carrying the Zika virus.

7/28/2016 Related Story: Mosquitoes Connected To Zika Virus Found In Southwest Oklahoma

"All of the rain that we've had recently can definitely lead to more mosquitoes in our area," said Tracy Lane with the Tulsa-OSU Extension office.  

Tracy is the director of the OSU-Tulsa Extension Center.  She says experts at OSU are monitoring mosquito populations, as both yellow fever and Asian tiger mosquitos have been linked to Zika.

The problem, she says, is the recent rains means more standing water.

"You're going to have homeowners that may have bird baths or they're going to have other things on their property that are holding stand water. Those are the kinds of areas where mosquitoes are going to find a place to breed," said Tracy Lane.

She says emptying any containers of standing water and applying bug spray, will help keep you safe and back on the road.

"It's a beautiful park, we're happy to pass through, and we're enjoying Oklahoma," said Dave Tabron.

Experts say the best bug spray is the kind with at least 15-percent of DEET.  For example, OFF Active spray has exactly 15 percent