In the days following Tropical Storm Hilary, residents on the West Coast are noticing some new bugs and critters in their neighborhoods.
Scripps News San Diego viewers are sending in their videos — showing everything from frogs to mosquitoes to crayfish.
“After the rain California got from the tropical system … it’s not surprising,” said Chris Bonvillain, an associate professor and crayfish expert at Nicholls State University.
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Bonvillain says the crayfish are red swamp crayfish — the same ones they have in Louisiana — although they are invasive in California.
“A lot of crayfish, what they do is they go in burrows when it’s drier,” explained Dr. Bonvillain.
When it rains, he says that’s their cue to come out. The good news is that apart from a pinch, the crayfish are harmless.
“There are no poisonous or venomous crayfish anywhere in the world,” he added.
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With new concerns about malaria in the U.S., keeping mosquitoes away is more important.
The other post-storm pest multiplying around San Diego: Mosquitoes.
“With all the rains that came with the storm, it’s building up pockets of water in people’s yards which are essentially just breeding spots for mosquitoes,” said Alex Kaspriak, general manager at Mosquito Joe.
Kaspriak runs a mosquito control business and says any post-storm still water can cause mosquito eggs that have been dormant for months, or even years, to hatch.
He encourages people to dry up any lingering water pockets on their properties to keep mosquitoes under control.
This story was originally published by Madison Weil at Scripps News San Diego.
