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Mosquito population heating up this summer

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — They're small, quick and can pack a mean bite.

"I had to spray myself every morning before I went for my walk because they were really bad," Lynn Krauss said.

This summer, Glynn County has beefed up mosquito patrols. From the air and from streets, crews are spraying in an effort to keep numbers at bay.

“We had a larger brood of mosquito popping off in May and early June," entomologist Steve Palvolich said.

The county sprayed five areas on July 2. Neighborhoods with the highest number of trapped mosquitoes got the most attention. Although there haven't been any West Nile cases in Coastal Georgia the year, Palvolich says the county is not taking any chances.

"A lot of things that we do revolve around surveillance of the mosquito population. We have a lot of traps that are out there looking for both the adult and larval mosquitoes."

Krauss applauds the proactive plan and believes it's working.

"I think they're doing a good job spraying," she said.

You at home can do your part by dumping out containers that hold stagnant water. Wearing a repellent with the ingredient DEET, will also help.

Glynn County does not have its next aerial spray mission planned, but will go up in the air as needed.