June's Record Rainfall Creating Bumper Crop Of Mosquitos
CHICAGO (CBS) -- All the recent rain has created perfect conditions for not-so-perfect outdoor gatherings this Fourth of July weekend.
This month has been the wettest June on record in Illinois, according to the National Weather Service, and Desplaines Valley Mosquito Abatement District Biologist Paul Geery said all the rain has created a bumper crop of floodwater mosquitos, which will be bad through the holiday weekend.
"Particularly, there's a couple species that are very aggressive, and day biters, and we're seeing those showing up now from all the rains. The biggest problem is the kind that annoy people – that are just driving people crazy – have a very long flight range, and so they can be coming from just about anywhere," he said. "Folks tend to think 'Oh, there's water nearby. This is where the mosquitos are coming from.' That's not necessarily the case."
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Geery has been after mosquitos for more than 35 years. He said, while there are mosquitos carrying West Nile virus around the Chicago area, they're not much of a problem right now.
"Right now, it's strictly the floodwater mosquitos are predominant. Several species that are really coming on strong, and because we've had so much rain – and repeated rains – it's just these big bursts of mosquitos coming off the water," Geery said.
The North Shore Mosquito Abatement District was scheduled to spray for mosquitoes between 8 p.m. Tuesday and 2 a.m. Wednesday, in parts of Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, and Skokie.
