With all the standing water in many parts of the Rio Grande Valley, there's growing concerns over mosquitoes.

Valley health officials are now warning about these pesky bugs.

Hidalgo County officials say the average lifespan of a mosquito is one week, but in that week they can do a lot of damage. Which is why you are asked to take steps to protect yourself.

With the historic levels of rain that swept across the Valley, some homes are still dealing with high standing water. That is a recipe that creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes just days after the rain.

According to the CDC, this can increase the amount of so-called nuisance mosquitoes. That refers to the eggs that mosquitoes lay in the ground that can live for 10 years, and hatch once wet.

The point when mosquitoes could get dangerous is about two weeks after a rain event.

Hidalgo County Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez says they work with other county officials to try and limit exposure to different mosquito-borne diseases.

"What do we do? When we see the mosquito count is high, we coordinate with the cities, and we go and we spray. We spray Permethrin which is two chemicals, but we spray Permethrin. What we do is we spray in those areas with waters and high concentration, that way it brings down the mosquito load," Melendez said.

In the Valley, some of the diseases that county officials look out for are West Nile and Dengue Fever. Last year, there were seven infections in the county.

Melendez says there are things you can do around the house to keep mosquitoes at bay.

"Well, the idea is that you get rid of standing water. Everybody already knows you get rid of standing water, but quite frankly, if that tire in your yard is full of water, what does that mean? That means that the dirt is full of water because you didn't get that mosquito with your sprinkler. You got that mosquito because of water in the community, and so you definitely want to get rid of standing water," Melendez said.

Officials want to remind the community that some of the most active times for mosquitoes are early in the morning and late at night. So if you find yourself outside, you should cover up and use insect repellant.