In Louisiana, even a stray bottle cap can become a mosquito nursery. That's because a mix of ideal conditions make the state one of the most mosquito-prone places in the country.

“There are five reasons mosquitoes are really bad here: rain, humidity, temperature, soils and the diversity of habitats,” said Kevin Caillouet, director of the St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District.

Mosquito breeding conditions

Louisiana gets about 70 inches of rain each year. Its flat, clay-heavy soil slows drainage, creating puddles and ditches where mosquito larvae can hatch. In warm weather, mosquitoes can complete their life cycle in as little as five to seven days, about half the time it takes in cooler climates.

Those conditions, Caillouet said, create the perfect environment for a surge in mo

See Full Page