More rain is in the forecast, means we can expect more mosquitos. Mosquitos require a lot of water in their early stages of development, so the wet, cloudy conditions can help them breed more.

Timothy Deschamps from Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project said the recent weather has kept them busy the past few weeks. 

What You Need To Know

  • More wet weather means the emergence of new mosquitos

  • Mosquitos are most active between dusk and dawn

  • No mosquito-borne illnesses have been detected in Central Massachusetts

  • Wear bug spray and avoid wetlands to best protect yourself

"We've now had two solid weeks of rain." explained Deschamps" So our crews have been out actively checking and treating wetland areas to make sure we can reduce the emergence of mosquitos from these areas as much as possible."

To date, Deschamps said they have not identified any mosquito-borne illnesses like Eastern Equine Encephalitis or triple E and West Nile in the Central Massachusetts area, but there has been a positive test for West Nile in a pool from Medford. 

"From this point forward, we will be concerned with emergence of additional mosquitos," said Deschamps. "With the hot weather being predicted, we are making sure to do as much as possible to reduce risk."

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said the best way to prevent bug bites and mosquito-borne illnesses is to apply an EPA approved bug spray before going outside, wear clothing that covers the arms and legs and avoid wetlands as much as possible. 

People who don't live around water should still take proper precautions.

"With all this rain, we encourage people to walk around their yards and look for containers that have been holding water and dump those containers out," explained Deschamps.

He said residents should know mosquitos are most likely to bite, during their most active hours between dusk until dawn.