WEST MICHIGAN - As summer temperatures begin to heat up, professionals say you can expect to see more mosquitoes plaguing parts of the lower peninsula.
Howard Russell, Entomologist at Michigan State University, understands this is only the beginning of Michigan's mosquito season.
"We're just going to continue to see swarms and swarms of mosquitos," said Russell.
Especially after parts of West Michigan saw above-average rain in the past month. And Jack DenUyl, Owner of Mosquito Squad in Holland, said the pests are actually quite smart.
"They could lay eggs for over 2 years in a dry spot knowing that water was there at one time," said DenUyl.
Starting around $400 per acre, Mosquito Squad can spray your yard, killing off 85% of the pests. If you don't have that type of money, he's said there's other options you can take to terminate your mosquito problem.
"You want to look for any area where mosquitoes are going to harbor, which is anywhere there is moisture."
DenUyl said you can start by removing any standing water around your home by tipping over flower basins or anything that accumulates water. Toss out leaf and stick piles: saying the trick is to remove the moisture, and clean out your gutters.
"You get that little bit of soot at the bottom of the gutter, a mosquito loves that because it’s filthy it’s dirty," said DenUyl.
DenUyl believes these tips are important because in an extreme case, taking care of the problem sooner than later could save your life.
"Well a mosquitos is probably one of the most dangerous animal in the country," said DenUyl.
Mosquitoes carry Malaria, West-Nile Virus, Dog Heart Worm, and a new virus called Chikungunya.
"It's brand new, there’s actually no cure for this disease and it’s coming from the Caribbean," said DenUyl.
Saying one mosquito can lay around 300 eggs in a very small volume of water, growing exponentially throughout the summer.
DenUyl said this is one of the worst summers he can remember terminating mosquitoes and encourages homeowners to kill the larva in low-lying wetlands before they turn into adult mosquitoes.
