Twin Cities could see "quite a few" mosquitos this spring thanks to April rain
MINNEAPOLIS — The April rain could be bringing more than May flowers this year, as the Metropolitan Mosquito Council says we'll likely see "quite a few" of the pesky bugs as spring continues.
Though it originally seemed as if the dry winter would lead to fewer mosquito eggs hatching, the 4 inches of rain in April quickly made up the difference. Typically, the Twin Cities picks up 2.91 inches of rain in April.
Experts say that mosquitos won't be "quite as abundant," but the wooded parts of the metro area — especially parts with shallow ponds and swamplands — could see lots of mosquitos.
With the additional rain coming next week, more eggs will likely hatch, explained the Metropolitan Mosquito Council.
On Saturday, Metropolitan Mosquito Council field technicians were out in the fields inspecting wetlands for mosquito larvae. They put a piece of corncob with a bacterium out in the wetlands, which breaks down in the sunlight over the course of a few days. It's an environmentally friendly way to target mosquito larvae.
"Once we get to that summer species, they'll develop a lot quicker, like if you're getting at 90 degree days, that water temperature is a lot warmer, so the mosquito larvae develops a lot faster," explained Ben Lubeck. "So then we have less time to make these treatments and inspect all these wetlands."
To help out, the district says it's important to tip over buckets and tires, as mosquitos can swarm in those areas. Even water in kiddie pools should be refreshed and emptied out every few days to keep the mosquito count low.
The best way to keep them away is to use bug spray with DEET in it.
The Metropolitan Mosquito Council also added that biting gnat larvae will be emerging from rivers and streams soon.