Tribune right: mosquitoes bad

proved by a trip to Summer Dance

08/13/2010 8:12 AM

By Bonnie McGrath

No Comments - Add Your Comment


Gathering at Summer Dance: the dancers and the mosquitoes (photo by Bonnie McGrath)

I read the Tribune article yesterday morning on the Daywatch email about the mosquito boom in Chicago and I thought, oh, for goodness' sake, the mosquitoes are never that bad in the heart of Chicago. We've taken care of that, somehow, without any sort of DDT application or any other kind of abatement (unless they come with low flying crop dusters in the middle of the night or something and I don't know about it). It just seems like the concrete and the plants and Daley laying down the law has kept those pesky little critters under control.


Well, last night South Loop Neighbors had a members' gathering at Summer Dance in Grant Park and I had to eat crow. I have to admit, after wrestling with big mosquitoes for three hours, itching from head to toe, afraid they'd sting me in the eye or something, afraid I'd end up in the hospital with anaphylactic shock from overtaxing my immune system from the bombardment of mosquito venom, I was wrong. The Tribune is right. Chicago does have the biggest outbreak in decades--although for the moment not the kind that carry West Nile Virus.

The constant tickle, signifying an impending bite did take away from my enjoying talking to the SL Neighbors, savoring the snacks (ie, chips and hummos; KFC; Michigan blueberries), enjoying the Samba music and dancing--and totally appreciating the huge Brazilian headdresses (usually worn during Carnival) that performers wore onstage to get everyone in the Rio mood. SLN board members ran around to nearby drugstores for repellant and found only one container of OFF Wipes available. The Tribune scared everyone (but me) so much, there was a run on such products. As well there should be.

Although, for some reason I'm not welted up or itching this morning, but I'm still staying inside during mosquito hours--and will consider wearing extra armour if I go out.


No Comments - Add Your Comment