For residents in parts of southern Dorchester County, Maryland, mosquitoes have become so overwhelming that some families have stayed indoors for weeks while others have temporarily left their homes altogether.
Here's what to know
The mosquito situation is so severe that Mike Calder of Crapo told The Star Democrat he and his wife have stayed away from their home for about three weeks, describing it as "impossible to step outdoors without being swarmed."
Despite repeated requests for mosquito control, Calder said state assistance did not come right away. He said he was first told the area's mosquito numbers were not high enough to justify spraying, but later learned treatment would likely take place at the end of August.
Dorchester County Council member Rob Kramer, who represents District 1, told The Star Democrat that state officials planned mosquito spraying on August 31 in Crapo, Andrews, Bishops Head, Blackwater, and Crocheron, as well as Lakesville, Robbins, Toddville, Wesley, and Wingate.
More background
Calder said the problem was not confined to evening hours. He described a video a neighbor recorded before lunchtime that showed a resident in protective gear while mosquitoes swarmed and landed on the clothing.
"You're not going to believe it," Calder recalled his neighbor telling him. "It's like a horror show."
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According to Calder, residents in nearby communities have faced the same issue.
"It's as bad as it was up near us," he said. "This is one of the worst seasons we've seen in many, many years."
What's being done?
A spokesperson for Kramer said the county no longer handles spraying, and residents are being directed to the state. On August 13, the Maryland Department of Agriculture issued information about aircraft mosquito-control work in county areas including Church Creek, Elliott Island, and Madison.
That earlier list did not include Crapo or nearby Toddville, although both were on the prospective August 31 spraying list.
Calder said some neighbors purchased protective suits because mosquitoes were biting through their clothes.
"It's bad when you can't even walk out of your house," Calder said.
Where can I learn more?
Similar coverage shows how increasingly worse mosquito seasons are upending daily life. It also reflects the range of responses, from a neighborhood effort near Washington to broader control work in Florida and major swarms in Houston and Buenos Aires.
• In Houston, runners described unusually aggressive mosquitoes as apocalyptic as swarms overtook trails.
• After heavy rains in Buenos Aires, mosquitoes swarmed the nation and upended daily life.
• In the D.C. area, neighbors tried an island-tested fix after one yard bred mosquitoes.
• In Florida, officials turned to fish to fight off mosquito larvae before outbreaks worsened.
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