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Mosquitoes becoming bigger problem

Posted at 7:30 PM, Aug 31, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-01 07:40:08-04

 Swarms of mosquitoes seem to be everywhere bringing more cases of West Nile Virus. On Wednesday the state confirmed two more people in Wayne County got the disease from bug bites

Exterminators say this is the most mosquitoes they've seen in Mid-Michigan all summer thanks to the recent hot and rainy weather.

"Mosquitoes hatch quicker when it's hotter," said Michael Hoover with the Mosquito Squad.

Hoover and his crews are out in full force and they're having to treat spots where mosquitoes aren't typically an issue.

"It doesn't take much water for them to hatch in there," Hoover said, pointing at an area of tall grass.

He say that's one of biggest culprits, so Hoover is advising people to get out the lawn mower.

"I'm actually seeing mosquitoes in the grass," Hoover said. "Typically we don't but because I'm seeing grass that is 6 to 8 inches tall you're going to see some extra mosquitoes in there."

Hoover is also seeing more swarms of mosquitoes around trees and places there's heavy undergrowth.

"The more shade and the more places for them to find holes and crevices to lay their eggs the more that you're gonna have," Hoover explained. "If you're not planning on treating you can cut some of that back to let the sunshine in because they don't like the heat."

Standing water is one of the biggest breeding ground for mosquitoes and they can lay up to 300 eggs in just a bottecap full of water.

That's why Hoover says simple steps like removing standing water is the best trick.

But parents like Ryan Todd know that still only goes so far.

"There are a ton of them," Todd said.

There are so mosquitoes in Ryan Todd's backyard, he's taking his kids to the park instead.

"My son's leg is absolutely covered in mosquito bites," Todd added.

That's why he's hoping for cooler temps to help bring his family some relief.

Exterminators tell us wind and cooler temperatures will help stop mosquitoes from hatching. Until that happens the state says it's going to keep testing "mosquito pools" for West Nile and other diseases.