Even with the dry spell, mosquitoes still a problem

The Sun City has gone the entire month of October without a drop of rain, and no rain is in sight for at least the next seven days.

Even with the dry stretch, some residents continue to express concerns about mosquitoes, especially near retention ponds with standing water from the monsoon.

Danny Soto, with the El Paso Environmental Service Department, told ABC-7 while they still spray around retention ponds, they aren’t the main concern. “Usually, if it’s a large body of water, the wind moves it and we don’t see any breeding here,” Soto said.

Mosquito activity peaks in between June and September, during the monsoon, Soto said, but can still be a year-round problem. “It should kind of start dying down, but mosquitoes are trying to survive, so they are going to start heading indoors, so if you leave your door open they are going to start going in there and staying there over winter,” Soto said.

Three Zika cases have been reported in El Paso this year, but all of them have been contracted while traveling abroad. “We are still prepared for that, we are still making sure, we are still checking out any standing water,” Soto added.

If you have a mosquito problem in your neighborhood you are encouraged to call 3-1-1 to report your concern.