18 hours ago
Symptoms of climate change such as extreme heat can impact insect activity
Climate change symptoms like rising temperatures in Augusta are affecting gnat and other insect activity.
'Changing Climate can affect them in some ways,' said Elmer Gray, entomologist, at the University of Georgia. 'One thing that's going to help them is staying warm at night. Wednesday night I don't know if it got below 77 degrees. We know that insects like warmer temperatures. Warmer temperatures mean a longer growing season.'
Gray added, 'They may grow longer into the fall, if it stays warmer into October. So they'll have more chances to create more generations in a life cycle.'
Gray said insects need humidity.
'We've had so much rain throughout the end of spring and into the beginning of summer,' said Gray. 'The temperatures have warmed up, so everything is starting to grow faster. They completed their life cycle quicker. When we have lots of moisture in the environment, whether it's in the soil, standing water collecting in containers, all of these things provide habitats that increase the productivity of a wide range of insects.'
'The term gnat is kind of interesting,' said Gray. 'Gnat is a general term for a small fly. So, what you're calling a gnat in Augusta is going to be a different insect than what they call a gnat in Pennsylvania. Gnat is a general term, typically for insects that swarm about our faces. Black flies and other gnats are attracted to the carbon dioxide in our breath.'
Gray added, 'It tells them there's an animal there. Then they're going to get closer and try to pick up the final cues as to whether you're the kind of animal that they like to feed on.'
'As far as the eye gnats they're attracted to the moist membranes,' he said. 'So your eyes are where they're drawn to. For other animals, they'll get around the genitals and other places. When we say Diptera or fly that means insects that have two wings. A lot of our common insects that we deal with are a type of fly.'
Different types of flies according to Gray:
House flies
Black flies
Blow flies
Mosquitoes
'So right now is peak season,' said Gray. 'Now, if it stops raining and everything starts drying up, if we go into drought conditions, the insects suffer. It's very common for the insect populations to kind of go down in the heat of the summer. If you think it's hot outside for us, well, it's hot outside for them too. Insects are very susceptible to drying out.'
'It tends to be drier from August to September,' said Gray. 'If we have a hurricane that could mean a lot of flooding. Then things start getting wet again.'
'For mosquitoes, you want to be very diligent about eliminating standing water around your homes and in your neighborhood and communities,' he said. ' Richmond County has a good mosquito control program down there in Augusta. If people are having problems with mosquitoes, they should reach out to the Richmond County Public Health to let them know what's going on.'
Tips for homeowners according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Empty or throw out any items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flower pot saucers, or trash containers.
Ensure screens are secure, free of tears, and properly installed to keep insects out while allowing fresh air in.
When sleeping outdoors or in areas with poor screening, use a mosquito bed net.
Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
'I'm a homeowner,' said Gray. 'It's easy to have a bucket for picking up sticks in the yard, or the old boat that you use once in a while. So you really need to be diligent about eliminating standing water. Most of the biting flies are attracted to darker colors. So light colored, loose fitting clothing will help. If you're planning on going to a ball game or going to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July you might want to apply an EPA approved repellent to your exposed skin.'
Gray said there's a lot of misinformation surrounding natural ways to get rid of pests.
"The plants that have oils that can repel insects have to be crushed and processed," said Gray. "So the Citronella plant is not good. There have been studies conducted that show mosquitoes will actually land on it. Yes, citronella oil can repel mosquitoes to some degree. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is one thing that works. T's naturally derived and very effective."
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Partners.
Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@ or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Impacts of extreme heat may mean more insect, pests activity
