Summer of the Mosquito

"Epic Spring Rains Spawn Mosquito Emergency"
FOXNews (May 31, 2010)

"Summer's back . . . and so are the unwelcome guests everyone dreads.

"The never-ending spring rainstorms that drenched the East Coast in March, and the hot days that followed in April, were the perfect storm for mosquitoes, say experts, breeding millions of bloodsuckers that came early and could stay for the season.

" 'As of right now, it's really ramping up in a big way in the Northeast, as it is down here in the Southeast where I am in Florida,' said Joe Conlon, technical adviser with the American Mosquito Control Association...."

There's the usual advice - change the water in birdbaths regularly, don't use perfume, avoid open-toed shoes, that sort of thing. There's also a link to CDC-Approved repellants.

The article doesn't mention Minnesota - not once. As a resident of this happy home for invertebrate bloodsuckers, I'm either miffed at the snub - or delighted that someone didn't make the obligatory crack about the mosquito being Minnesota's state bird. Drat. I did it myself.

There's also a couple of slideshows - including one with a 'way-too-closeup of a mosquito.