Every time I take JJ "The Child Hound" out for his evening walk lately it seems I'm swatting at a mosquito that's landed on my arm ready to draw blood. It's annoying and I can't remember the last time mosquitoes have been so pesky.

Ryder Houck, president of Mosquito Joe, agrees. He told KWQC the problem of biting mosquitoes is definitely worse than last year. Western Illinois University Biological Sciences Instructor Jason Hunt says “There is a definite increase in the number of nuisance mosquitoes.”

So how can you avoid mosquito bites? According to the CDC if you're going out for a while use insect repellent with Deet. Wear long sleeved shirts and pants. Do your part to keep the bugs from getting in your home through screens and doors. Don't let stagnant water become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. You also could avoid going out at dusk or dawn.

The good news? The current batch of mosquitoes don't seem to be carrying any diseases, which is good considering a lot of Iowa is dealing with a West Nile virus outbreak. 

We probably won't get relief from the buggers until our first frost. Until then, wear a long sleeved shirt or sweat shirt along with long pants. At least the weather's cool enough to make that a practical solution. We've got that going for us.

 

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