Extra Itchy? Experts Say This Is Causing Michigan’s Mosquito Woes
Have you noticed the mosquitoes have been extra bad here in Michigan this summer? Turns out you're not just extra tasty this year, there's actually pretty common reason as to why.
The Michigan Mosquito Struggle
Just the other night, I went outside to greet some friends who were in town for the weekend and in those mere minutes I had bites all down my back, arms and, worse, my left buttcheek!
TMI? That went out the window when these mosquitos decided to wage war on us Michiganders.
You may start to think that in this #HotGirlSummer you're out there looking even more like a "snack"...especially to mosquitoes. However, your ex is the only bloodsucker that just won't seem to go away because of how good you look this summer.
Experts believe this year's mosquito problem is directly related to all the rain we've gotten!
Perfect Mosquito Breeding Grounds
According to MLive, Michigan State University professor of entomology and microbiology, Ned Walker says these mosquitoes are known as "Summer Flood Water Mosquitoes."
Walker told MLive that all the rain we have been getting lately has made it so this particular "batch" of mosquitoes can absolutely thrive and have the ideal conditions for breeding.
"The female mosquitoes lay their eggs in low spots they know will eventually become wet enough to hatch the eggs," MLive reports. "Walker points to low, marshy areas that hold water after a rain as a perfect spot for summer flood water mosquito eggs to lie and hatch."
The CDC says a mosquito's entire life cycle "from an egg to an adult" is a pretty speedy one and takes only up to 10 days. That means things happen pretty quickly once a mama 'squito decides to lay her eggs, just so long as they get wet within the next few days.
Is Michigan At Peak Mosquito Time?
All that heavy rain towards the end of June not only made it the perfect time for new mosquitoes to hatch but MLive also reports it was able to re-awaken dormant ones. They all hatched, then we had the heat in the beginning of July which let them all roam free, lay more eggs and now we are getting more rain which will hatch those eggs.
It's really a pretty vicious cycle that as long as we keep getting this kind of rain and humidity, won't be ending soon.
Walker also told WILX News 10 that wile we have heard a lot lately about mosquito-borne diseases like EEE and West Nile Virus, the mosquitoes we are currently being inundated with don't carry either.
"The ones we primarily have right now are pest mosquitos," Walker said. "The concern is really how they affect us in terms of how we enjoy the outdoors."
Basically, just get all the bug spray you can...just don't go too crazy like what everyone did with toilet paper last year.
While these mosquitos aren't as deadly as they could be, here's a look at Michigan's deadliest critters: