Mosquito season could be rough due in part to Minnesota's very snowy winter

MINNEAPOLIS – The cold air and snow is pushing back the return of a major pest.

Mosquitoes didn't do well during last year's drought, but now experts say our big snow piles could create prime conditions for a major comeback.

The snow melting, combined with average-to-above average precipitation anticipated this summer, means greater potential for standing pools of water. 

Once those warm up, they become good habitats for the pesky insects. Mosquitoes aren't picky about it either.

Alex Carlson with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says they tend to show up in "waste, tires, containers, clogged gutters, any landscaping that has water that isn't moving. You want to make sure it's disrupted somehow."  

Carlson says mosquito season is likely to start in mid-to-late May.

"Make sure you're covering up and protecting yourself, wearing bug spray," Carlson said. "There's a lot of products out there that are hit and miss. We recommend permethrin. If you use that on your clothes and gear, like put on your shoes or your hat, that does a really good job of repelling mosquitos and ticks."

When the inevitable bite does come, Roshelle Baier from Maplewood has a trick she swears by.

"If you use aluminum deodorant, put it over a bug bite, it actually stops the itching," Baier said. "I don't know why it works but that is the one thing I've found that gives us some relief."

Carlson says setting up a fan at the barbecue this summer will help disperse your smell, which mosquitoes are attracted to. He says they also are drawn to bright colors like reds and blues.