GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – It’s only May but the mosquitoes are swarming. Exterminators from Smitter Pest Control say this is worst they have ever seen it this early in the season.
On Friday, both the Ionia County Health Department and the Kent County Health Department put out warning for mosquitoes.
Area health departments are expecting the Spring and Summer to be an especially bad time for the biting bugs.
It’s no coincidence that the warnings are coming from two areas that were hit hard with flooding.
Last year, West Michigan experienced a West Nile break-out that resulted in 41 confirmed cases in Kent County including two deaths related to contracting West Nile.
The Grand Rapids Environmental Services Manager, Mike Lunn, said this year they plan to start dropping mosquito killing pellets down the water catch basins proactively so they can prevent any deaths if the virus makes a return this season.
“We will get together Monday. We will look over the maps we did last year and we will figure out what staff should be sent where and get a plan to do it as quickly as we can,” said Lunn.
In addition to mosquitoes, the Kent County Health Department urges people to be on the lookout for ticks, which are also supposed to be on the rise this season.
