La Crosse residents see increase in mosquito population

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- Marqus Brown is feeling the surge in the mosquito population this summer.

"Of course, at night they're a little worse than the day but they're out during the day. Some of them get trapped in the house and terrorize you that way," he said.

Brown's body is covered with multiple mosquito bites. Luckily it hasn't been too bad for him, but it hasn't been that way for everyone.

"We're seeing a lot more people coming in for bites and a lot more reactions to those bites," Gundersen Wellness Education Specialist Katie Young said.

According to Young, July has been a busy month for mosquito bites at Gundersen with lots of children being treated for severe reactions.

"Their immune systems aren't as well developed as adults are, so they haven't been around summers upon summers," she explained. "Their body hasn't had as much time to learn about what their mosquito bites look like and how to fight those off so you kind of have that perfect storm."

A mild winter and a wet spring and summer are causing them to come out more this year.

"With precipitation comes lots of flooding. Then comes puddles and other standing water," Young said. "It's a great place for mosquitos want to breed, want to hang out."

Young recommends anyone spending time outdoors to wear repellents including bug spray and light-colored clothing.

"They tend to kind of avoid that and you'll also want to wear long pants, long sleeves if you're going to be out in the deep woods as well," Young explained.

Young also recommends getting rid of any standing water in your yard. She says if you see it in toys or tires, dump them as that can also attract mosquitoes.

​COPYRIGHT 2024 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.