I wouldn’t say this is the peak time of year for mosquitoes in Thailand, it’s only March, mosquito activity usually peaks in Thailand’s rainy season between June and October, but here in suburban Pattaya it seems there has been a mass hatching of mosquitoes.
When I sat outside today to enjoy my early morning coffee I witnessed the largest gathering of mosquitoes I have seen anywhere in Thailand, my house was virtually under siege by a rampant, hungry mosquito army. I quickly applied some mosquito repellent and watched the bloodsucking army of death hurdle my garden wall and try to enter my house before they were caught by the rising sun. At one point there were at least 20 mosquitoes the size of baby elephants bouncing off my patio doors, others were searching for hiding places in shoes and furniture, some dispersed into the garden foliage.
Why the mosquito population explosion ?
I’m not going to start slagging off my neighbors, but I do believe they are partly responsible for this sudden explosion of the mosquito population. For the first time in 6 years my street is fully inhabited, and I have neighbors in close proximity on 2 sides of my property. Unfortunately, Thailand’s dengue mosquitoes, The Aedes aegypti (Dengue mosquito) and Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger mosquito) adore neighborhoods just like mine. A peak over the garden wall tells me that my neighbors are unwittingly creating a perfect haven for the dengue mosquitoes. Tall uncut grass, shady vegetation, open containers, empty bottles, shoes and various other brick-a-brac offering shelter and a suitable breeding environment for the mosquitoes are all evident in my neighbors gardens.
Lessons not learned about mosquitoes !
Dengue fever is the most common of all the mosquito borne diseases in Thailand, most people know of someone who has suffered at the hands of this terrible disease. Yet we continue, myself included, to make the mistakes of providing the perfect habitat for the dengue mosquito to breed and thrive, and ultimately to spread disease.
Don’t be mosquito friendly
If you don’t want mosquitoes at your door, don’t invite them into your garden, I know there is no way to make our houses or gardens completely mosquito proof, but at least we can restrict them and decrease their numbers. Just ask yourself, is the grass too long ?, do I really need all these potted plants outside the house ?, is there somewhere else I can store all these shoes ?. Just remember, mosquitoes breed in standing water, they prosper in damp and shady places. If you’re struggling to find the motivation to curb your local mosquito population, consider this fact, mosquito borne diseases are have killed more people than any other disease or natural disaster, they have in fact claimed more lives than every single war combined.
