With the heat and rain in Regina lately, people are seeing an increase of mosquitoes in the Queen City.
Regina residents like Tyler Luterbach are not liking it one bit.
Recently, Luterbach made a trip to Costco to buy mosquito sprays for home, his vehicle and one of the go.
“They seem to be rampant everywhere,” said Luterbach. “It seems like they’re worse than last year. They just keep getting worse.”
Another local resident says he isn’t a fan when it comes to mosquitoes.
“I don’t think anyone else is,” said Osa Mayo. “I haven’t noticed a rise or a decline, I just know that they are there … mosquitoes are bad.”
Entomologist Taz Stuart said with the higher temperatures, people are seeing more mosquitoes now.
“You’re going to see more bites per evening especially when mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn,” said Stuart. “We’re not having a bad season; this is just spring species coming out earlier than normal.”
Stuart says wearing light-coloured clothing and avoiding activities outdoors when mosquitoes are most active are some ways to avoid the pesky bloodsuckers. But when outdoors, wear a mosquito repellent with Deet or keratin based.
“The risk of getting West Nile viruses or any other mosquito borne disease is very low at this time of the year,” he said. “People aren’t used to seeing mosquitoes this early in the year.”
Stuart said the current mosquito population for Regina is higher than historical times.
He urges Regina residents to remove and dump standing water which is a breeding ground for the pesky skeeters.