Georgia’s drought relief brings new worries: mosquitoes, ticks and bites

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — As parts of Georgia climbed out of drought with days of rain and rising humidity, experts warned the same weather shift could quickly drive up mosquito activity and raise concerns about ticks and tick-borne illness.

DeKalb County Department of Public Health Vector Expert Natasha Agramonte said some mosquito eggs can survive dry conditions for long periods, then hatch rapidly after heavy rain.

“They can be dried for as much as a year, and then all of a sudden, when it rains, they all hatch at the same time,” Agramonte said.

In Georgia’s heat and humidity, experts said mosquitoes can go from egg to biting adult in about a week. The Georgia Department of Public Health reports Asian tiger mosquitoes are established in every county in the state.

For some Georgians, ticks were the bigger worry.

Jack Hickey said when he lived in south Georgia, ticks were a constant problem.

“They were everywhere. I’d get covered in like hundreds of little ones,” Hickey said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said emergency room visits for tick bites across the southeast were at their highest level for this time of year since 2017, according to its Tick Bite Data Tracker.

University of Georgia Agricultural Climatologist Pam Knox said the rapid swing from dry to wet conditions created new challenges, including for agriculture.

“Now, we’re almost to the other extreme,” Knox said.

Knox said the long dry stretch stressed crops and pastureland, and that muddy fields were now slowing farm work. She added that persistent humidity can increase concerns about fungus and pests spreading more quickly.

Experts recommended dumping standing water around homes, using insect repellent, and checking both people and pets after spending time outdoors. Hickey said he checks himself when he gets home.

“Right at home, you gotta check yourself, feet, legs, and body,” he said.

Experts said the next week or two could be key. If the warm, wet pattern continued, they expected mosquito populations could surge further as Georgia moves deeper into summer.