Heavy Spring Rains A Perfect Recipe For Mosquito Surge

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A late spring mixed with rain, standing water and cool temperatures have spawned billions of mosquitoes.

Experts say if we keep getting rain, we can count on mosquitoes being a big part of daily life, for weeks to come.

Jim Stark with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control says they have been targeting immature mosquitoes developing in water. They've already treated 100,000 acres trying to keep the numbers down.

"But once adults are out there flying around bothering people then we do adult mosquito control," Stark said.

Stark says Mosquito control has been overwhelmed and that mosquitoes are really bad in Western Hennepin County, Southern Scott and Northern Anoka counties.

"We've had this long, cool spring and mosquitoes took a lot longer to develop than they normally would. But within the last week we've had mosquitoes emerging in some areas of the metro there are a lot of adult mosquitoes," Stark said.

Stark says mosquitoes in unnatural settings, including old tires, bottles, or anywhere where there is standing water, is dangerous.

"Those are mosquitoes that can transmit disease that use those artificial containers to develop in so when in doubt dump it out," said Stark.

You can also protect yourself by wearing loose, light-colored clothing that covers the skin.

Also, watch out for the cologne and perfume. If you smell pretty, mosquitoes are more likely to see that as an invitation to bite.

You can help them keep down the numbers by trimming the vegetation in your back yard, where mosquitoes hang out during the day time.