CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The swarms of mosquitoes you were warned about more than a week ago should start showing themselves this weekend and into early next week.
Will we be seeing a record number of mosquitos following a record-setting May for rainfall?
Patrick Irwin entomologist for the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District said "people are definitely going to notice that there are more mosquitoes out. Is it as bad as past years? Not necessarily, but that doesn't really matter when people in their backyard are getting bit."
Irwin said that besides spraying in your backyard or patio, a relatively inexpensive way to lessen the mosquito population around your home is to "get a box fan or one of those bigger rotating fans and turn it on 'medium.'"
He said, you want to, "create a 7-10 mile an hour breeze blowing across you. Mosquitoes really don't like to fly in wind and that's enough to really sort of keep them at bay."
Irwin also recommends the use of mosquito repellants. He sids those repellents should either have DEET, picardin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus in them.
The so-called "nuisance mosquitoes" will "be with us for probably a week or two depending on the weather. Then, we should start to see a little relief as they reach their natural endpoint of their lives," Irwin said.
