CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte area is covered with standing water, and temperatures are supposed to get back to 80 later this week.
That combination could lead to a burst of mosquitoes around your home, unless you do something now.
James Bjorneboe runs Mecklenburg County’s mosquito control program, and was recently looking for larvae he could feed granules that contain bacteria.
"They ingest it and it ruptures their gut," said Bjorneboe.
But after his search of a north Charlotte pond, he didn't find any larvae. He expects that to change next week.
"Warmer temperatures and fresh rain -- mosquitoes are probably going to pop up,” he said.
Mosquitos only need water to stay for five days to breed, and can lay eggs in just a tablespoon of water.
Last year, mosquito-borne West Nile killed 243 people in the U.S.
North Carolina had six cases, with two deaths. South Carolina had 29 cases, with three deaths.
An outbreak in Texas infected 1,739 people, killing 76.
The county can treat ponds and ditches, but homeowners need to do their part too, dumping out collected rainwater.
For more information about the mosquito control program, click here.