So far the few nice days we've seen this spring have been generally mosquito free, but with warmer weather and plenty of chances for rain in the extended forecast their full fledged return may be just around the corner.

Chilly temperatures the past month have kept U-W Eau Claire assistant professor Chris Gabel and her students from going out to sample mosquito larva. They monitor mosquito populations in the spring and summer, but Gabel warns insects like mosquitoes are adaptable.

"It has been cold enough where there should be fewer at least a slower start to the season. on the other hand it could warm up in a week here and we got plenty of moisture as you said that will really help them develop quickly," said Gabel.

"We haven't had any complaints this year but there have been some mosquitoes out already. there are usually mosquitoes that come out early in the spring, kind of a cold weather mosquito," says Courtenay Johnson.

Courtenay Johnson, director of environmental health for the Eau Claire City/County Health Department says these mosquitoes breed after the winter snow melts. However, how bad the mosquitoes will be this year, depends on how much standing water there is.

"Mosquitoes typically need 3-4 days to reproduce and so they reproduce in standing water so if standing water is constantly being flushed then the reproduction rate will be less," explained Johnson.

She says last year mosquito reproduction rates decreased because rainfall was so frequent.
Over the next several weeks, she says if we see a healthy mix of rain and a few dry days in between, we could be loading up on bug spray and citronella as the temperatures warm up.

The Health Department says you can help reduce the amount of mosquitoes in your yard by eliminating standing water around your home at least once a week. Here are a list of problem areas to check for standing water and either discard, clean or change the water regularly:

-Containers, barrels, and garbage cans
-old tires
-bird baths, wading pools, ornamental and fish ponds
-swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs
-puddles and swampy areas
-leaky faucets and hoses
-pet or livestock watering pans
-tarps or plastic sheets
-tree holes, stumps, and brush piles
-wheelbarrows
-canoes and boats
-roof gutters
-construction sites and landscaping
-lawns